‘Lajim, not money, reason for defections’
Anwar Ibrahim’s hand in Sabah PKR is ruining existing relationships and kindling memories of Umno’s ‘ousting’ of Usno.
(FMT) – Matunggong assemblyman Jelani Hamdan, who is widely speculated to quit Sabah PKR and declare his independence, has been spewing his angst against the party leadership for sometime now.
He is not the only one. In fact federal PKR’s decision in August to appoint Lajim Ukin to spearhead Sabah has irked the grassroots in Sabah no end.
And the simmering discontent is coming to boil.
One Sabah source contacted today said that dissatisfaction among traditional PKR followers in Sabah has been festering for sometime and money was not the main issue.
“This whole situation is Anwar (Ibrahim)’s fault. He has forced Lajim on us. He knew the local opinion on Lajim and ignored it. He took him and promised him Sabah.
“Lajim got his way and put his people in. The original PKR members are overtaken by these people…same like when Umno came and killed off Usno,” said the source.
Jelani recently fumed that he and his Kadamaian colleague Jeremmy Malajad, who defected earlier this week, can no longer work with Lajim.
“We cannot work with Lajim anymore…,” he said, adding that he had opposed Lajim’s appointment as Sabah PKR chief from the onset.
Lajim, Jelani had claimed, was biased against the KadazandusunMurut communities, an allegation that Lajim, a Bisaya, has denied.
Fork-tongued Anwar
But Jelani pointed out that Lajim’s state PKR liasion committee lacked representations from the KDM and Rungus communities.
He claimed he had in the past raised the issues with Anwar and Lajim but “as always a decision taken is different when implemented.” – a view shared by another PKR member here in Kuala Lumpur.
According to this member-observer, it was typical of Anwar’s ‘bulldozing’ style.
“Anwar says one thing and does another…if you take him seriously, mati la,” he added.
