A former elected representative was among 50 new members who have submitted membership forms to Sabah Progressive Party (Sapp) president Yong Teck Lee to join the party.

Dason Suran Gabah, the former elected representative for Tandek, handed in his form at the Sapp road map programme held in a hotel in Kota Marudu recently. Present were Teck Lee, his deputy Eric Majimbun and other key leaders of Sapp which left the BN coalition in September.

In a statement to Malaysiakini today, Dason tells why he decided to join Sapp.

“I believe the party is responsible and committed to the struggle of Sabahans as declared in its eight-point declaration. I also believe that Sapp practises non-racialism and is dedicated to protect the rights of all Sabahans.”

Sapp has been on a membership drive throughout Sabah since it pulled out of the BN. It has courted disgruntled members from practically all the BN component parties in the state and this has raised concerns among many quarters in the ruling coalition.

A coalition government?

The party has even gone into Malay/Muslim areas and talk is that the party may not be strong enough to be on its own to form a new state government but could probably be courted by opposition parties represented by Pakatan Rakyat to form a coalition government.

Sapp leaders, including Teck Lee, have openly held talks with Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim. The Sapp president also attended the recent PKR Congress in Shah Alam.

In that respect, the party is already seen as a threat to the state BN and everyone seems to recognise that.

Teck Lee is an old hand in politics and knows the game well, having been chief minister of the resource-rich state once for a period of two years, and a state minister for a considerable length of time.

He seems to command a lot of respect among his party colleagues and members and is driving the party hard to make an impact in the Sabah political scene, being very outspoken on issues that are close to the hearts of Sabahans.

This is one of his great advantages which his former colleagues in the state BN parties do not always have as they need to toe the BN line.