Kita ready to contest all seats in Sabah?

By Michael Kaung


Sabah's Parti Kita believes that a coalition government will not suit Sabah as there will be 'infighting' and as such they will not be able to focus on governance.

KOTA KINABALU: Parti Kita which is linked to Zaid Ibrahim is the latest entity to throw its hat in the ring in the battle for power in Sabah.

The party’s Sabah chairman Pengiran Othman Rauf said Kita will also consider working with opposition parties in the state to form the government if that is the best for the people in the state.

Announcing that the party would be contesting in all 60 state and 25 parliament seats in the coming 13th general election, he said today that he and several party leaders have offered themselves as candidates for the party.

He said he was considering standing in Papar while the party’s youth chief Alias Rahmad Benjamin is ready to stand in Sandakan and its other senior members, Johan Asik and Thomas Anggan, have offered to stand in Kota Belud and Keningau respectively.

“We will announce the candidates at a later date as we do not want them to be pressured before the election.

“Parti Kita also wants to see more youth leaders being fielded in the 13th general election so I urge our youth leaders who are interested to contest to offer their services,” he said.

Othman, a veteran politician in Sabah, said he has no doubts that Kita which has seen several embarrassing twists and turns including the possibility of being dissolved recently, would be able to administer the state as it “has leaders with high integrity and ability”.

“It is no uphill task for the party to win if its leaders and members are united and work hard towards ensuring a resounding victory,” he said.

On whether the party would work together with SAPP, STAR or Pakatan Rakyat Sabah to form the state government, he said: “We will cross that bridge when we get there.

“But if this is the best possible thing for the people then why not?

“If the accumulated votes we garner in the coming election can form two-thirds of the Sabah government then we can consider working with SAPP, STAR and Pakatan,” he said but added that the opposition vote in the state would be split due to the number of opposition parties contesting.

“I hope the people will remember that they need a strong government that looks after the state properly and I hope that they can make a decision on that basis.

“I hope that they vote not based on a coalition but for the good of the people, country and future,” he said.

Single party best for Sabah

He maintained that a single party government is the way for Sabah as there would be less politicking.

“A coalition faces opposition not only from the outside but also from within itself and this causes the coalition to be unable to concentrate on the people and the country’s needs,” he argued.

Othman pointed to Berjaya as one party which had worked with the federal government in developing Sabah despite that party coming under the spotlight recently for bringing development to Sabah at a costly price.

“I would also like to stress that although Parti Kita is a national party, Sabah will be given full autonomy if we form the government,” he said.

Othman added that Zaid had agreed “that I (Othman) take care of Sabah while he takes care of Peninsular Malaysia”.

“Our strategy and approach has not change and Kita leaders in Sabah have been given the full mandate to manage the party here as well as administer the state government after forming it.

“Therefore, Sabahans do not have to worry about the state being under federal rule,” he said.

He emphasised that the party’s struggle is on the the autonomy-based ‘Sabah for Sabahans’ promise which meant empowering locals to administer and develop the state according to the needs of the people in the state.