‘PH, not SAPP, is weakening the Sabah opposition’

(FMT) – Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) president Yong Teck Lee has hit back at Pakatan Harapan saying its own internal strife, not local parties, has split the opposition in the state.

Sabah PH components PKR, DAP and Amanah had criticised SAPP, saying Yong’s comments were inflammatory and would further divide the opposition.

They were referring to Yong’s statement last week that “both PH and BN are just ‘two sides of the same coin’ and Sabahans would suffer if they continued to vote for these Malayan parties”.

“Who split Pakatan? It’s DAP,” Yong told FMT today.

“Where are the PH YBs who had won – Darell Leiking of Penampang, Junz Wong of Likas, Jeremy Malajad of Kadamaian, Jelani Hamdan of Matunggong, Hiew King Cheu of Luyang and Terence Siambun of Moyog?

“I’d like to ask DAP and PKR what will happen to Edwin Bosi of Kapayan? What is happening to Jimmy Wong, the Kota Kinabalu MP?

“DAP has to answer all these questions and it will reveal their hypocrisy.

“It is DAP splitting itself and splitting the opposition.”

Yong was referring to PH component elected representatives who have jumped to other opposition or BN parties, become independents, been suspended or are involved in internal issues.

Yong, a former Sabah chief minister, said the internal problems faced by PH were caused by their top leadership in Kuala Lumpur.

“It is DAP and PKR weakening themselves by spawning so many ‘frogs’ (party hoppers) in their midst.

“These Malaya parties have breached the trust of Sabahans. They should not blame Sabah’s local parties,” he said.

“Betrayal by their KL masters. Frustration caused by KL’s manipulation. These caused a loss of hope in their Malaya parties.”

Yong reiterated that SAPP’s struggle is purely for Sabahans, unlike PH’s mission which he said is a power struggle among Peninsular Malaysia’s political elite.

“SAPP fights for Sabah’s rights and autonomy. SAPP has been consistent about this. We reject Malayan parties,” he said.

“I’ll say it again that Pakatan Harapan and BN and Umno are two sides of the same coin. The fight between PH and BN and Umno is merely the Malayan elites’ power struggle.

“They don’t care about the Borneo territories. They only want to use Borneo to boost their numbers so that they can grab power.”

Earlier, Sabah DAP chairman Stephen Wong had told FMT that while more Sabahans had decided to support PH in the coming general election, he was saddened to read Yong’s comments.

“It has been fired at the wrong enemy and Yong is trying to further divide Sabahans. It will only help BN retain power,” he said.

SAPP is a component of the Sabah-based four-party opposition coalition Gabungan Sabah (United Sabah Alliance).