No stopping entry to Sabah

Anifah: Bersatu must see to the implementation of MA63

KOTA KINABALU: While Datuk Seri Anifah Aman has no objection to Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia coming to Sabah, he said the party must work to meet the people’s aspirations of fulfilling the Malaysia Agreement.

“The people of Sabah want to see the implementation of the terms of Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).

“I’m hopeful that the agenda of the party’s entry into Sabah is to fulfil the aspirations of the people of Sabah to realise the implementation of the terms agreed in the Malaysia Agreement 1963,” he said in a statement.

Anifah, who is Kimanis MP, is an independent since leaving Umno in September.

He said there was great urgency and need for sincerity to implement MA63 to allow the people to enjoy parity in the development of the country but were facing challenges due to the failure to fulfil the terms of MA63.

He said state rights could be resolved with good relations between the state and Federal Government without confrontation.

Anifah said the diversity of the people of Sabah has served well to parties that promotes harmony among the people in Sabah.

“Any attempt to disrupt the harmony based on religion and race will be devastating to the future of Sabah,” he added.

Parti Bersatu Sabah president Datuk Dr Maximus Ongkili said they preferred state parties to handle issues of the state.

But he said that Bersatu had the right to spread its wings to Sabah.

Meanwhile, former Sabah Umno defectors welcomed the softening stand of Parti Warisan Sabah to accept the entry of Bersatu into the state.

The former Umno leaders, led by Sulaman assemblyman Datuk Seri Hajiji Mohd Noor, said that Warisan president Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal was showing political maturity by accepting Bersatu to come to the state.

“It shows Shafie is a mature and experienced leader who aspires to see the people of Sabah united, regardless of their race,” said Hajiji.

He and 15 former Umno lawmakers and 21 division chiefs have been sitting as independents since Dec 12.

Hajiji said he and his colleagues would give their cooperation to the state government, especially on policies meant for the betterment and the future of the people and the state

On Monday, three days after Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s announcement that Bersatu will come to Sabah, Shafie said that they could not stop any party from coming to Sabah as it is their right.

Any attempt to disrupt the harmony based on religion and race will be devastating to the future of Sabah.

Datuk Seri Anifah Aman