KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Chief Minister Shafie Apdal today refused to answer questions on PPBM’s decision to spread its wings to Sabah.
Shafie, who attended a Chinese New Year function organised by the Chinese consulate in Sabah here, ducked into his waiting car, ignoring questions posed by media personnel who had been waiting for him outside the gallery.
The Warisan president was earlier expected to issue a statement on the issue.
However, Sabah DAP Socialist Youth (Dapsy) publicity secretary Phoong Jin Zhe, when met at the event, told FMT that he felt PPBM’s decision to come in and allow former Sabah Umno leaders to make a comeback was a stab in the back of the Warisan-PH coalition.
“It was disrespectful of PPBM to do so, especially because the party will allow these rejected leaders to resurrect themselves and take positions in the government.”
The Luyang assemblyman also feared the entry of PPBM will further throw Sabah into political turmoil.
He found issues with PPBM’s excuse to enter Sabah, namely to strengthen the state government, stating that the government is already progressing well in the right direction.
Meanwhile, Bernama quoted Beluran MP Ronald Kiandee as saying that the party received “100,000 membership applications” from 25 parliamentary constituencies in Sabah.
“We expect many more people will join the party when it expands its wings officially to the state,” the news agency quoted him as saying.
Earlier today, PPBM chairman Dr Mahathir Mohamad announced the party’s decision to spread its wings in Sabah.
Kiandee is among the five MPs, nine state assemblymen and two senators from Sabah who announced that they were leaving Umno on Dec 12 last year.
One of the state assemblymen, Musbah Jamil, representing Tempasuk, has since joined Warisan. The others are expected to join PPBM.