LDP will not be a rubber-stamp in BN

Queville To

With head held up high Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) president VK Liew said party members will continue to speak out without fear or favour on state issues.

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Barisan Nasional’s whipping boys, the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), has no intention of slinking away and licking its wounds after being demoted to the sidelines of the state government administration.

The party has vowed to carry on speaking out without fear on issues concerning the state at the risk of further punishment from Chief Minister Musa Aman.

“We will continue to hold our heads high in furtherance of our course for the people,” party president, VK Liew told a gathering at the official launch of its Liawan Division over the weekend.

“When someone speaks without fear or favour, there are bound to be certain quarters who do not feel comfortable. They will surely use all means to silence their dissenter.

“However, in order to defend the rights of the Sabahans and the power sharing spirits of BN, our party must speak and act without fear at all times,” said Liew.

He was speaking during a ceremony held in a hotel in Keningau to a crowd of more than 200 to inaugurate the newly-established division headed by a local businessman cum NGO leader, Pang Su Hin, who announced the entry of 320 new party members.

Liew, who is also deputy minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, told the crowd that being honest in highlighting flaws in the state government’s actions does not mean that LDP is not in compliance with the BN spirit.

“It is our right and duty as a component party to sound the bell in the event of any departure from BN fundamental principles that has kept the coalition together for so long,” he said.

While conceding that LDP has not had an easy time since it’s inauguration in 1989, Liew said he was proud that party members remained united when faced with obstacles.

He cited as an example the recent “storm in a tea cup” for voicing its displeasure over the reshuffle in the state cabinet and the appointment of State Resource Development and Information Technology Minister Dr Yee Moh Chai, from fellow BN member, Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS), as the deputy chief minister.

Bitter quarrel

He claimed the bitter quarrel did not have any negative impact to the party at all.

“On the contrary, the party is winning more support from the people. Each time we weathered a storm, we grow in strength.

“Since LDP joined Barisan Nasional in 1991, the number of seats entrusted to the party has gradually increased over the past general elections. We will continue to claim for an even greater role in the coming election”, said Liew.

He urged party members who had not registered as voters to do so as soon as possible so that they can exercise their right to vote in the next general election which may be called in one year’s time.

Meanwhile, in his inaugural speech, Su Hin took a swipe at Musa for granting greater prominence to peninsula-based party, Gerakan, in his administration rather than a local party like LDP.

He said that while Gerakan had been given the political power in the state, Sabahans could show their support for local parties such as LDP, so that it could have more representation in the state administration.

Also present at the gathering were LDP senior leaders such as vice-president Pang Yuk Ming, secretary general Teo Chee Kang, organising secretary Yong Wui Chung and publicity chief Albert Kok.

LDP is still chafing following the promotion of Yee and a former LDP member, Peter Pang, to senior positions in the state cabinet at the expense of the oldest state BN member.