Pairin: Set aside fake news during campaign

KOTA KINABALU: Former Chief Minister Tan Sri Pairin Kitingan called on Sabahans to be set aside false and fake news that they will hear or receive during the campaign period.

Pairin in a statement stressed that false and fake news must clearly be set aside, as these are morally and illegally wrong to be disseminated among citizens and society.

The former Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) president said, “however, it seems dissemination of subject matters which can bewilder the people’s thinking during election campaign period in any country has become almost normal and thus a responsible voter has to wisely deflect false and irresponsible issues in order to be able to select right choices.”

“Responsible leaders need to guide voters to make right decisions especially when it comes to voting the right candidates,” he said, adding that there are so many different issues, big and small, relevant and otherwise, religious sensitivities, education, fairness and justice issues that will be highlighted in the state election.

Touching on the citizens’ role and dilemma they faced as political parties and their leaders would try to woo voter support, Pairin expressed hopes that voters would be wiser in their scrutiny of the situation and to vote wisely to return a good trustworthy and reliable government.

“And we pray that this time round no elected representatives of the people will cause political havoc by jumping from one party to another party due to monetary attraction or other pull factors,” said the PBS premier adviser.

Pairin said the time has come for leadership to come to an understanding that we in Sabah should strive to really avoid money politics and avoid negative and sensitive issues.

“How would we achieve that? It would require political will from everyone! It will take time but we can all start from a very obvious requirement in defence of democratic principles and bring about confidence among our people during elections and after elections.

“For that and as a start, let us ensure the ‘anti-hop’ law provision is included and enshrined in our Constitution soon after the elections,” he said.

He touched on the existence of moral and social contract in elections between candidates and voters and said that there had been many views and debates on whether or not there existed a moral and social contract between candidates during elections and their voters.

“Of course, there is a contractual obligation created. The candidate offers himself as someone who will commit himself to serve and look after the voters’ interests and well-being if he is voted to be their representative in that constituency. There is quid pro quo,” he said.

Pairin was in favour of legislation to stop party hopping and said that the anti-hop law raised and supported in parliament should become a reality.

“We have observed that during the last Parliamentary sitting, the subject of the anti-hop law provision to be enshrined in our Constitution was raised by the MPs themselves and everyone seemed to have agreed that the proposal was good, relevant and desirable to have as it will ensure democratic calmness in our country, stability, and allow the process and progress of development of our country to be implemented smoothly and in keeping with contractual schedules for the benefit and betterment of our country and the people therein,” he stressed.