Sabah Umno wing leaders want action against Jumat

KOTA KINABALU - Three Sabah Umno wing leaders have proposed to the leadership that stern disciplinary action be taken against Sepanggar MP Datuk Jumat Idris.

In a joint-statement, Umno Sabah Wanita Chief Datuk Armani Mahiruddin, Umno Sabah Youth vice chief Shahelmy Yahya and Puteri Umno Sabah Chief Normalah Rasik believed Jumat, who is also Umno Sepanggar chief, had jeorpardised the party's image through his scathing statement against the State Umno leadership.

"We really feel disappointed with the inappropriate action and attitude of the Sepanggar Umno Chairman.

His continuous personal statements made openly in the media are causing confusion and can bring about negative implication to Umno, Barisan Nasional (BN) and the Government," they said, Wednesday.

"We have received complaints and views from leaders and grassroots members of the Wanita, Youth and Puteri wings who were disappointed that their hard work at the grassroots level have been adversely affected by Jumat's action," they said.

"It is quite clear that Jumat's action was against the party's ethics, hence we suggest disciplinary action be taken against him," they said.

Meanwhile, Pakatan NGO Pro BN also took a swipe at Jumat for suggesting that Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal become the head of Sabah Umno. Its Graduate Chairman, Mohd Dzuliqyan, said Jumat should be given a briefing on the party's history.

He said about one and a half years prior to the 13th General Election, party President Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak decided to appoint Datuk Paduka Ahmad Basha Md Hanipa, who is currently the Deputy Minister of Domestic Trade, Co-operatives and Consumerism, to replace Shafie as Chairman of Kedah Umno.

He claimed that Shafie was replaced because he failed to administer Kedah Umno well at that time. "I am very confident that if Shafie was maintained as the Kedah Umno Liaison Chief, Kedah would still be under the opposition," he said.

Jumat had said Shafie should become Sabah Umno Liaison Chief because of the latter's success as the Kedah Umno Liaison Chief in winning back Kedah from the opposition in the previous election.

Mohd Dzuliqyan said it was necessary for the people not be fooled but told the truth. He also claimed that as an elected representative, Jumat failed in his responsibility to look after the welfare of his constituency.

He claimed ever since Jumat became MP for Sepanggar, he hardly went down to the ground to see the people's needs or visited areas under his constituency.

Many dilapidated roads, such as in Inanam, he said, until now have yet to be addressed not to mention the drainage, water supply and unemployed graduates and youth issues.

To this end, he said Jumat should emulate Kalabakan MP Datuk Abdul Ghapur Salleh who is very vocal during parliament session in asking the government to bring development to his constituency.