‘Umno bullying’ is an issue that has crossed the vast South China Sea and has all the prospects of erupting into a full-scale war of words in Sabah.

harris mohd salleh Former chief minister Harris Salleh has fired off a salvo against the Kitingan brothers on the issue and challenged them and PBS leaders to an open debate. For good measure, he also wants to include the issuance (to illegals) of ICs in the state and other “wrongdoings”.

Harris, who was humiliated in his Tenom seat by an unknown and had his Berjaya government overthrown by his former deputy Joseph Pairin Kitingan in 1985, reserved most of his venom for the elder Kitingan, underlining the public perception that there is no love lost between these two men.

“Not only is it not true but it is also irresponsible and vexatious,” said Harris in rebutting Pairin’s open contention yesterday that Umno, under Dr Mahathir Mohamad, bullied PBS (Parti Bersatu Sabah), the state government and the people of Sabah.

“If I were to look back, during the time of Dr Mahathir, of course we were bullied,” reiterated Pairin. “It is all a question of equitable sharing, fairness and justice and the feeling of a win-win situation. It’s better to sit down in the BN spirit and discuss. That’s the sensible way. Political parties will only make things worse if they terlanjur kata (go overboard) in their statements.”

PBS pact with Gerakan

Pairin had initially been responding to Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi’s earlier statement that Umno never bullied other BN component parties into submission. Umno bullying became an issue that promises to open the Pandora’s Box after outgoing MCA presdent Ong Ka Ting raised it in his farewell address in recent days.

bn supreme council mt meeting sapp sabah issue 190608 pairin kitingan Harris is putting forward the theory that it was in fact Pairin and PBS that bullied Mahathir and Umno. As an example, he cited PBS pullout from the BN on the eve of the 1990 general election.

“It (the pullout) was through its connection (Gerakan advisor Dr Lim Keng Yaik’s brother) with the Mamut Copper Mine that it formed a pact with Gerakan to pull out from the BN,” said Harris. “However, Gerakan chickened out at the last minute.”

PBS and Pairin, according to Harris, “bullied the people of Sabah into electing it again, and again and again” and also “disputed the actions and decisions of Mahathir and the federal leadership who prefer and want people in their win-win (winner’s) club”.

“You win, we will be with you. You lose, bye-bye,” said Harris, recalling bitter memories of Mahathir’s pre-polls pledge in 1985 to swim or sink with his Berjaya government. “These have been the established attitude and practice until now by the Umno leadership.”

Harris couldn’t explain how Umno and BN being a winner’s club – allowing in winners and kicking out losers -- has anything to do with the issue of Umno bullying.

Umno bullying and the ICs issue touch a raw nerve in Harris who has been accused in the past of being a “sore loser”, instigating Mahathir against Pairin and PBS and being involved in the controversial ‘Project IC Mahathir’, “a scheme which was stepped up after 1985 to issue ICs to illegal immigrants including many from the Indian subcontinent and pad the electoral rolls with their numbers especially in marginal seats”.

The younger Kitingan, Jeffrey Gimpoi, has echoed his brother’s remarks on Umno bullying and revealed what he knows about the ‘Project IC Mahathir’ to rebut Abdullah’s statement denying the existence of Umno bullying.

dr jeffrey kitingan “When I was under ISA detention, I met several detainees from the National Registration and Immigration Departments who told me that no less than one million ICs were issued to foreigners in Sabah by 1991,” said Jeffrey who is now Sabah PKR chief and a vice-president of the party. “You can just imagine what that figure is today.”

Jeffrey alleged that Project IC Mahathir existed to browbeat the people of Sabah into submission and enslavement. “It (Project IC Mahathir) was reported to the Parliamentary Select Committee on Integrity by those personally involved in the issuing of Malaysian ICs and money was involved,” said Jeffrey. “The NRD is a nesting ground for little Napoleans who can create citizenship by the trust given to them. Many foreigners paid lots of money for Malaysian ICs in Sabah.”

Umno takes all for granted

Umno bullies when it is in a position to do so, recalled Jeffrey. “Umno takes everybody, including the Malays, for granted. But after the March 8 general election, it is denying all charges of bullying. Dr Mahathir even once arrogantly said that Umno could rule alone without the BN component parties.”

“In Kota Kinabalu, Dr Mahathir has several times said that Umno did not need the BN parties in Malaysian Borneo to rule. Today, without the MPs from Sabah and Sarawak, Umno will be sitting on the Opposition benches.”

Harris did not comment directly on Jeffrey’s remarks but conceded that they could be part of the public debate. He pledged that his statements were based on facts and reiterated his challenge – debate me if you dare – to PBS leaders and especially Pairin “on the subject of Umno bullying, bullies, wrongdoing, ICs and so on”.