BN parties dared to take stand on Pandikar’s comment

KOTA KINABALU: Parti Anak Negeri has challenged Barisan Nasional (BN) parties in Sabah, especially PBS, UPKO, PBRS, LDP, MCA and Gerakan to take a stand on Tan Sri Pandikar Amin’s comments on the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), whether or not they suppport or disagree with him.

Its president, Datuk Henrynus Amin, said he was horrified to see the eerie silence among these BN parties.

“Their silence can only mean they are either in total agreement with Pandikar or they are too afraid or unable to open their mouths to protect their pecuniary interests in BN,” he asserted.

Henrynus said Pandikar was insincere in his challenge on MA63 as he was obviously pandering to religious fears among his largely Muslim constituents.

He said the Dewan Rakyat Speaker seemed to be invoking race and religion in his bid to return to local politics.

In any case, Henrynus advised his counterparts in the opposition to just ignore Pandikar’s provocation related to the status of Islam as Sabah’s official religion.

He said Pandikar’s comment is a political trap to deliberately provoke unsuspecting opposition leaders into making inflammatory statements on Islam.

“Pandikar’s comments on MA63 and the subsequent challenge he made was ignoring the real issue on MA63,” he said.