Sabah DAP grassroots leader quits for BN
Upko president Bernard Dompok’s call for the revoking and re-issuing of MyKad to bona fide Sabahans is drawing support back to the party.
Queville To, FMT
PENAMPANG: With elections in the air, some of Sabah’s hundreds of wannabe politicians are beginning to see light at the end of the tunnel. DAP’s Stephen Jimbangan is among them.
The party’s Kapayan branch chief called it quits as far as his support of the opposition is concerned and joined the United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organization (Upko), a party aligned to the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition.
Speaking at a ceremony where he and 127 other former DAP members handed in their applications to join the BN party here, Jimbangan said his election-eve conversion was to help unify his community under one party.
He said he had “sleepless nights” before deciding to join the BN coalition through Upko after the three KDM based parties Upko, Parti Bersatu Sabah and Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah pledged to unify the community.
“I feel at home because its like coming back home and I am happy to see a lot of familiar faces here today. There is a feeling of solidarity and unity here,” he said.
Upko president Bernard Dompok’s efforts in raising issues in Sabah especially the presence of illegal immigrants in the state, he said had also motivated him to switch parties.
Jimbangan also claimed that he had read all 25 volumes of Upko’s research and suggestions pertaining to the problem of illegal immigrants in Sabah and the documentation had proven to him just how determined the party was towards getting the government to find a solution that can finally address the issue.
“It is because of that and Gelombang Tataba that I decided to join Upko. I spoke to a few friends and managed to convince them to also make the move.
“We have been divided for far too long and I believe the ‘Gelombang Tataba’ is the right first step towards a united and progressive KDM,” he said.
The 2008 DAP candidate for the Kapayan state constituency who narrowly lost to the BN’s Khoo Keok Hai added that he agreed with Upko’s proposal for all Sabah Identity Cards to be returned and re-issued only to genuine Malaysians.
“I hope (Tan Sri) Bernard (Dompok) will continue his struggles … we need you Tan Sri. You are our leader,” he said in a direct message to the Upko leader pledging full support for his bid to retain his Penampang parliamentary seat.
