SABAH PBS deputy president Maximus Ongkili has described former supreme council member Jornah Mozihim as "sour grapes" for ditching the party and joining the opposition PKR.

NONE He said the incumbent assemblyperson for Motunggong, Sarapin Magana, was chosen to defend the seat for BN as the party leadership considered him a winnable candidate.

Ongkili, the BN chief for the Kota Marudu parliamentary division, which encompasses the state seats of Motunggong and Tandek, said Mozihim ( left ), a former assemblyperson, had obtained only 25 votes against Magana in the election for the PBS divisional chairperson's post.

He said Mozihim quit PBS on the eve of the nomination day after learning that she had not been selected as a candidate.

Mozihim, who became an assistant minister after winning the seat in the 2004 general election, claimed that four PBS branches had been dissolved following her resignation from the party.

She is now campaigning for Majol Mahap, Jelani Hamdan and Anthony Mandiau, PKR candidates for Kota Marudu, Motunggong and Tandek, respectively.

Political decisions in party done 'collectively'

Incumbent Ongkili, who is the caretaker federal science, technology and innovation minister, is being challenged by Mahap, a former United Kadazandusun Murut Organisation (Upko) vice-president.

The BN candidates for Tandek is incumbent assemblyperson Anita Baranting.

Ongkili said it was unfortunate that Mozihim had joined the opposition just because she was not chosen as a candidate, and that it showed that she had placed her own interest above the party's.

NONE He also denied that he was in control of the party instead of its president, Joseph Pairin Kitingan ( right ), saying that political decisions by the party had always been done collectively.

Motunggong PBS divisional deputy chairperson Francis Liberi Mariam denied that four branches in the division had been dissolved, as claimed by Mozihim.

"Only the branches' chairpersons resigned to be with Mozihim. This is expected as the leaders are diehard supporters of the former PBS supreme council member," he said.

Liberi pointed out that the branches were still intact with the respective vice-chairpersons having taken over the daily activities during the election campaign period.

He said incumbent Magana was retained to defend the seat for BN after it was approved by prime minster and BN national chairperson Najib Abdul Razak.

- The Malay Mail

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