I’m fighting BN all the way, ‘frog’ is non-issue — Darell
KOTA KINABALU: Parti Warisan Sabah (Warisan) deputy president Darell Leiking, who will be contesting for the Penampang parliamentary seat in the upcoming 14th general election (GE14) under Warisan, urged those who may have lost trust in him to “look, study, read” and find out that he is still very much in the fight against Barisan Nasional (BN).
“I don’t seem to see that (constituency losing trust) because I’m still fighting BN. The people who are saying they have lost trust or assume that they have lost trust, are maybe those who were told I ‘jumped’ to another party.
“I fought BN in 2013 and now I’m still fighting against them. I heard some comments about being a ‘frog,’ but the thing is about being responsible with the undertaking,” he said, in a press conference after the announcement of Warisan candidates for GE14.
Darell said there was no ill will or rivalry between Warisan and other opposition parties, particularly Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), for which he served as vice president before leaving in 2016.
“They had no issue when we made the decision to build a relationship with Shafie Apdal and the rest of our friends from all over the East Coast, West Coast and the interior, to fight BN.
“Wan Azizah herself and the secretary general, if I’m not mistaken, gave me very good parting wishes, so I’m wondering when I betrayed what I promised the people in 2013.
“Did I join BN? Did I do what other MPs and ADUNs did, who said that BN is bad but joined them later?
“I don’t know why they say they don’t trust, when the rest of the leadership of PKR are with me and show their support.
“In 2013 we fought BN and won, and this year we will fight them again and beat them the whole state.
“I promised to beat BN and expose their wrongs and I’m still promising that, so if they say they’ve lost trust, I’m really not sure,” he said.
On his prospects of regaining his seat, Darell he is confident because groundwork had been laid in the constituency for a very long time, coupled with the current mood to replace the BN regime.
Although he admitted he did not expect an easy win due to strong competitors, he reiterated that “with humility and our strategy, we will be victorious.”
Ongoing head to head with newcomer Caesar Mandela Malakun of United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation (Upko), Darell said there is no fight and that he enjoys his good relationship with Mandela, who happens to be a relative.
“It’s a healthy competition. I would have wished he was on our side because that would mean that we could bring change together, but on his side it’s the same so that’s the very reason why we want to fight Barisan Nasional.
“There’s no fight - there is only a choice for the Penampang people between Barisan and Warisan.
“When it comes to BN, it is irrespective of who they contest. We will beat them, we will fight them, we will do our best to show the rest of Sabah that change is now. Sabah mesti ubah (Sabah must change),” he said.