Sabah Progressive Party (Sapp) members are being allegedly warned that they risk losing their government jobs if they do not join the state’s Barisan Nasional coalition parties.

"They tried to entice us to leave Sapp to join BN component parties. When that failed, they threatened to take away our jobs," claimed Akmad Umalbasah, the pemaju mukim for several islands within the Tanjung Aru constituency in Kota Kinabalu.

richard yong sapp sec gen Sapp secretary-general Richard Yong said the attempts to lure Sapp members "showed the weakness and desperation of BN and the inhumane mentality of some government political leaders."

However, Akmad declared his allegiance to the party and its president Yong Teck Lee and is willing to lose his job which pays just over RM1,000 a month.

"It is like a family to me… I have been there since the very beginning … we don't simply abandon our family members to save a job or to enjoy some benefits," said the founding member.

"Without a salary, I will have to adjust because I still need to pay for my daughter’s study loan. But I will cope because I have children who are working," he added.

Previously, his party colleague Jari bin Alkis of Kg Lok Urai in Pulau Gaya was removed as village headman.

According to Akmad, both he and Jari were approached to ditch Sapp to join Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) since Sapp left the BN last September.

It was understood that Jari had refused to leave Sapp when he was first approached.

Aid for fire victims

Another allegation was that when a fire left 400 people homeless, including 100 Sapp members, they were told to join PBS in order to receive government aid.

sapp richard yong at fire scene pulau gaya sabah 110309 "The Lok Urai fire victims are still waiting for government aid," Yong said.

"Whether they (the victims) are with the government parties or not, they are still legitimate citizens and human beings.

"If the government can extend help to illegal immigrants, I cannot understand why they (the villagers) are being victimized simply because of their political allegiance," he added.

Sapp lost a People Development Leader (PKR) recently when Benny Quek, a long-time party member attached to the office of Sapp's Luyang assemblyperson Melanie Chia resigned from the party.

No reason was given for his resignation, but it is widely speculated that he had been warned that he would lose his job if he remained with Sapp.