PBS: Lajim has history of defecting

PAPAR - Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) leaders have taken PKR Sabah chairman Datuk Seri Panglima Lajim Hj Ukin to task for asking Kadamaian assemblyman Jeremy Malajad to vacate Kadamaian seat.

This is because Lajim himself did not resign from the seats he held when he left PBS and Umno, they said.

According to Pantai Manis PBS Division chief Datuk Johnny Mositun, Lajim now had to deal with defections from his own party.

“It is quite ironic. If you recall, Lajim himself has a history of defecting from political parties. He did that when he left PBS to join the BN, and more recently he left Umno to join PKR just before the last general election,” he said.

Mositun said Lajim’s allegation was made merely to discredit BN and could not conceal the fact that many of those who supported the opposition in the last general election were beginning to realize that they had been misled into opposing the BN.

“First it was Hiew King Chiew of DAP who left and became an independent. Now it is Jeremy Malajad of PKR.

“I am inclined to believe the Chief Minister, Datuk Seri Musa Haji Aman, who said there was every possibility of other opposition assemblymen and their supporters leaving because they are disillusioned by the unrealistic and false promises of their leaders. Lajim should acknowledge his and the opposition’s weaknesses and shortcomings instead of blindly blaming BN,” Mositun said.

Mositun declined to say if defectors from the opposition fold would be accepted by BN, or if these defectors even intended to apply to become BN members.

“People like Jeremy Malajad and Dr Hiew King Chiew have the right to decide for themselves what they want to do. I don’t want to speculate on what they will do, nor is it proper for me to speculate on what BN’s stand is. As it is, BN is strong and secure and capable of continuing its work to bring about development for the rakyat and that is what PBS will concern itself with, not speculating about the opposition,” Mositun said.

Meanwhile former PBS vice president and ex Kadamaian assemblyman Datuk Herbert T Lagadan is of the opinion that Lajim has no moral dignity to ask Jeremy to vacate Kadamaian seat since he himself had not done so when he decided to dump PBS in 1994 and defected to Umno.

“Technically Jeremy has not defected to any other party yet since he only quit PKR to be an independent and BN friendly elected representative. His reason to quit PKR was basically similar in nature as the reasons given by Lajim at the time he joined Umno (BN), that is only BN can give development.

“I would be more than happy if Jeremy quit his seat to give way for by-election but from the point of law no one can compel Jeremy to vacate his Kadamaian seat. However, we all know that he (Jeremy) has a moral obligation to respect the wishes of the people who voted for him to win.

“All this while, PBS has been consistent in its stand that any elected reps who betrayed the trust of the people who voted him or her to power should vacate the seat to give way for a by-election. We have done so with Lajim when he dumped PBS in 1994 but he did not do so. Therefore does Lajim have the right to demand Jeremy to vacate his DUN seat now?” Herbert questioned.