PBS reminds Shafie of his acceptance of BN defectors
KOTA KINABALU: Former chief minister Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal has forgotten the English proverb “Those who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones”, said Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) secretary-general Datuk Joniston Bangkuai.
Joniston said Shafie had suddenly forgotten the events “engineered” by his Warisan party to bring down the Barisan Nasional (BN) Sabah government after the 14th general election.
He said Shafie then saw it fit to accept not one but six BN assemblymen barely 24 hours after another Chief Minister was sworn in, forming a backdoor government and effectively making him the Chief Minister in 2018.
“It would seem that only Shafie has the license to accept defecting elected representatives on the basis that they had lost confidence in the then democratically elected government,” he added in a statement yesterday.
Joniston noted that Sebatik assemblyman Hassan A Gani Pg Amir’s decision to leave Warisan was too prompted by his loss of confidence in the party and has since voiced his support for the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) coalition.
This move has further stoked Shafie’s wrath, sparking a tirade on loyalty pledges, presigned letters of resignation and vacating of seat to pave way for a by-election, he said.
Joniston who is also GRS information chief, added that the Warisan president reportedly said the pre-signed letter of resignation was made by Hassan on Sept 10, 2020 during nomination of Warisan’s candidates for the 16th State election that included the latter’s pledge of loyalty to the party.
Shafie also said the party had sent the letter to the State Legislative Assembly and a copy of the letter handed to the Head of State and Election Commission.
“It looks like the latest move by Hassan has given Shafie a new found moral compass on loyalty and good versus bad politics.
“On a closer look it looks more like hypocrisy of the highest order by a man who is desperately hanging on to a sinking ship,” he asserted.