Kiandee: Sabah Perikatan hopes national leadership crisis won’t derail state election campaign.
KOTA KINABALU : – Sabah Perikatan Nasional (PN) chief Datuk Seri Dr Ronald Kiandee said he hopes the ongoing leadership crisis within the coalition’s national leadership will not spill over into Sabah or affect its preparations for the upcoming state election.
The Beluran MP, who is also a Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia vice-president, said while the situation in Kuala Lumpur had raised concerns among supporters, PN in Sabah remained focused and united on its campaign plans.
“All political organisations go through hiccups. What’s happening now is serious, yes, but I hope it won’t affect us here in Sabah as we are preparing for the upcoming elections,” he said in a statement today.
Kiandee confirmed that his party, Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia, will contest under the PN banner, but said that they were still finalising decisions on seats and candidates.
He said it would be premature to say that the leadership dispute would not affect how the coalition contests the state, but expressed confidence that they will be able to ride through the bumps.
Kiandee said Bersatu Sabah’s machinery was intact despite earlier defections, and that cooperation among PN components — Bersatu, PAS and Gerakan — remained strong.
“Our divisions are functioning, branches are active, and we’ve completed our annual meetings. We are ready,” he said.
His comment comes after leaders within Bersatu have called for party president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin — who is also PN chief — to step down, along with secretary-general Datuk Seri Azmin Ali, citing “moral issues”.
Muhyiddin’s rivals want him to be replaced by deputy Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin.
PAS — which is the biggest party in PN with 43 Parliament seats — has also stated its intentions to take charge of PN and is believed to be in support of the leadership transition.
Kiandee said power tussles occurred with all parties.
“Now, they are asking Tan Sri (Muhyiddin Yassin) to step down. PKR and Umno have had their share of problems in the past as well,” Kiandee said.
Kiandee reiterated that Sabah Bersatu and its allies PAS and Gerakan have agreed to contest under the Perikatan Nasional logo and are looking at seats “where they have the best chance of winning”.
He did not disclose how many seats Bersatu and its partner PAS will contest under the PN banner in the election, but said they expect to field enough candidates to form a government.
