Julian F Lian
KENINGAU: Another Pakatan Rakyat (PR) leader has quit, dealing another blow to the opposition coalition in the state.
Keningau Parliamentary Pakatan Rakyat Leadership Council secretary Julian F Lian @ Mohd Hafiz Abdullah who announced the decision to reporters here yesterday, said he would join Barisan Nasional (BN) through Umno.
He said a total of 187 PR members including from PKR, APS and PPPS would follow in his footsteps and join Umno.
“My focus is to concentrate on my duties as the secretary-general of the Interior Tourism Operators Association,” he said.
Julian notified his intention to quit from APS-PKR before the 13th general election polling day but out of respect for his counterparts in PR, the matter was ignored.
According to him, his action was not intended to look for cheap publicity or for personal gain but to join and struggle with leaders in Umno and BN.
“I believe and am confident in Umno’s struggle under the leadership of Umno president and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Tun Abdul Razak, Sabah Umno liaison chief and Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Musa Haji Aman and Keningau Umno division chief and Assistant Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry, Datuk Haji Sairin Karno,” he said.
On Tuesday, 11 Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) leaders in Sabah quit the party and expressed support for BN.
They comprised division heads, division deputy heads and division information chiefs from Kudat, Kota Marudu, Kota Belud, Sepanggar, Pensiangan, Beluran, Kinabatangan, Batu Sapi, Silam, Kalabakan and Semporna.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak told a media conference in Kuala Lumpur that these leaders had lost confidence in the PKR leadership.
He said this was the first wave of PKR leaders quitting the party in Sabah and that more would be following in their footsteps soon.