'Pengkhianat' label: PKR dismisses Jeffrey's remarks as election talk

Summary:

• Fuziah dismisses Jeffrey’s recent remarks against peninsula-based parties, describing them as “colonisers,” suggesting such statements are typical before state election but are soon forgotten.

• She points out that Sabah leaders often invoke the “Sabah for Sabahans” sentiment during election periods but later align with the same parties they previously criticised.

• Fuziah’s comments follow a challenge from Sabah PKR secretary Sazalye Donol, who urged Jeffrey to leave the federal government if he could no longer work with peninsula-based parties.

INTERVIEW | PKR secretary-general Fuziah Salleh has dismissed Sabah Deputy Chief Minister I Jeffrey Kitingan’s recent remarks against peninsula-based parties, which he described as “penjajah” (colonisers).

She said Sabah politicians would make such political cries every time they are gearing up for the state election but would forget what they say soon after the polls are concluded.

“I think it happens in every state election. It happens every time there is an election.

“And I think Sabah leaders also tend to forget what they say. It’s nothing new for the scenario in Sabah.

“Every time election season nears, they will fire up the 'Sabah for Sabahan' sentiment. But after that they will forget and they team up with the parties that they previously criticised,” Fuziah (above, left) said in an interview with Malaysiakini.

She was asked to comment on Jeffrey’s remarks during a recent political event in Sabah, where he reportedly labelled political parties with Semenanjung roots as colonisers while their leaders in Sabah are purportedly “pengkhianat” (traitors).

According to news reports, the Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (Star) president made the remarks during the launch of Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) Youth recently.

For the record, the next Sabah state election must be held by December next year.

Star is a part of GRS, which has teamed up with Pakatan Harapan Plus to form the state government in Sabah.

Jeffrey’s remarks had reportedly irked Sabah PKR, where its secretary Sazalye Donol challenged the former to quit the federal government if he could no longer work together with peninsula parties.

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