Dr M’s return to power a chance to clean up mess he created — Henrynus

KOTA KINABALU: Parti Kerjasama Anak Negeri (Anak Negeri) has rejected the statement by Sabah Gerakan leader and Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Raymond Tan that the return of former Prime Minister Tun Mahathir Mohammad as the opposition Prime Minister designate would be a disaster for Sabah.

Contrary to insinuation by the Sabah Gerakan leader, Datuk Henrynus Amin said Parti Anak Negeri sees blessings in disguise or rather a golden opportunity for Mahathir returning to power to correct his past mistakes and clean the mess he created in Sabah then as Prime Minister.

He said a mellowed down but rejuvenated Mahathir at 93 years old as Prime Minister will have a much different political outlook as he has seen politics from the angle of the opposition.

“When Tun Mahathir was Umno president and Prime Minister, it was unthinkable he would rub shoulders with Democratic Action Party (DAP) leaders or join an opposition pact with Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) led by his nemesis, Datuk Seri Annuar Ibrahim, the very person he once sent to jail,” he said in a statement yesterday.

But today, he said Mahathir is the Chairman of Pakatan Harapan that includes DAP, PKR and Amanah.

“Like the adage says, politics is the art of the possible,” said Henrynus who was formerly Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) secretary general.

Henrynus expressed confidence Mahathir will have changed his attitude towards Sabah now that he is an opposition leader and Prime Minister designate.

“Tun Mahathir knows PH cannot wrest control of Putrajaya without the support from Sabah and Sarawak,” he said.

“Parti Anak Negeri therefore believes Tun Mahathir will be more determined to clear his name and resolve lingering issues where he was rightly or wrongly implicated such as the perennial issue of fraudulent identity cards perpetrated by illegal syndicates.

“We all know for a fact that illegal IC syndicates operated with impunity during his time as Prime Minister perhaps with the tacit support of irresponsible and unscrupulous individuals deeply embeded within the Federal Government.

“We are deeply disappointed that the current Prime Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Tun Razak has failed to act on the recommendations of the RCI on illegal immigrants and fraudulent ICs in Sabah.

“Instead of acting on the recommendations of the RCI, the Prime Minister returned the RCI Report to Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan who has no power to act or enforce the law,” he said.