Musa fears ‘fixed deposit’ tag a liability

Sabah Umno, under the leadership of Musa Aman, has come under heavy fire from smaller Barisan Nasional coalition members for its arrogance.

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Chief Minister Musa Aman is worried that the “fixed deposit” tag affixed to the state Barisan Nasional (BN) may have one foot in the grave.

Speaking to delegates at the simultaneous opening of the Libaran Umno women’s wing and youth wings, Musa who is also Sabah BN chairman said they should not take for granted that the coalition has a firm hold on power in the state.

Giving a sneak peak of disquiet within the BN ranks, Musa warned that there are “elements” that were capable of jeopardising the coalition’s chances in the coming 13th general election.

“We must always be wary of the enemies within and outside the party and ensure that there are no elements that can break Umno,” he told the delegates in Sandakan on Sunday.

The Sabah Umno leadership under Musa has come under fire from within and outside the coalition for its unfair treatment and unilateral decision-making in state affairs.

Smaller BN coalition members, the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation (Upko) and Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS), have all strongly criticised Sabah Umno for its go-it-alone approach on state matters.

They have warned that the BN government could suffer major damage in the coming election due to the arrogance of top Sabah Umno leaders.

Even Sabah Umno’s main supporter within the coalition, Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS), worried that its supporters are having second thoughts about the party, has cautioned Umno leaders at federal level to look into the myraid of problems or risk losing the state.

Political strategist have also noted that all is not well within Sabah Umno.

Musa is wary of a leadership threat from Umno national vice-president Mohd Shafie Apdal.

It is common knowledge that Shafie and Musa are on poor terms.

Phantom voters

Shafie himself has warned Umno leaders, who placed importance on holding onto positions, that they would remain merely ‘party leaders’ if they failed to strengthen the party ahead of the coming general election.

A source who requested anonymity said that the “fixed deposit” tag that Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak had placed on the state could be a liability going into next election.

“Most Sabahans read the tag as a boast by the federal government and Umno that they have taken control of the state by using phantom voters during elections to tip the balance in the coalition’s favour.

“And there is nothing that the electorate can do about it,” said the source.

The swift release on Sunday of former Sabah Umno member Mohd Akjan Ali Muhammad, a businessman with strong ties to the Filipino community in the state  who was arrested last week, is seen as a bid to mollify his supporters.

According to political activists, many in the community are recruited during elections to vote for BN candidates and the government can ill afford to antagonise them in the run-up to the general election.

Akjan was arrested following a hue and cry when he declared himself to be the 33rd reigning Sultan of Sulu on Feb 2.

He and several others were detained under the ISA in the mid 1990s after he was allegedly caught with a briefcase containing about 2,000 Identity Cards at the Kota Kinabalu International Airport on a return flight from Kuala Lumpur.

It was alleged then that he was selling these documents for up to RM3,000 to those who were not qualified to hold them.

How he came to be in possession of the documents was never explained.