Jeremy Malajad @ Malazad
THE Opposition in Sabah made a very good showing at the 13th General Election which was held on May 5 this year where it won a total of 12 state constituencies and three parliamentary seats.
Pakatan Rakyat (PR) component party Parti KeADILan Rakyat Sabah (PKR) won seven state and one parliamentary seats while its fellow component party DAP Sabah was voted as the elected representatives for four state and two parliamentary seats.
Sabah STAR won one seat making the total seats of 12 for the opposition.
The victorious PKR candidates were Datuk Jelani Hamdan (Matunggong), Jeremy Malajad @ Malazad (Kadamaian), Datuk Seri Pangliman Wilfred M Bumburing (Tamparuli), Dr Roland Chia (Inanam), Christina Liew (Api Api), Datuk Seri Panglima Lajim Ukin (Klias), Terrence Siambun (Moyog) and Darell Leiking (Penmpang).
DAP candidates who kept Barisan Nasional (BN) and the incumbents at bay were Junz Wong (Likas), Hiew King Cheu (Luyang), Dr Edwin Bosi (Kapayan), Chan Foong Hin (Sri Tanjong), Wong Thien Fatt (Sandakan) and Jimmy Wong (Kota Kinabalu).
Sabah STAR chairman Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan won the Bingkor state seat.
Hiew King Cheu
But although it strengthened its footing in Sabah, the Opposition was dealt with a blow when three of Pakatan Rakyat’s elected state assemblymen, namely Hiew, Jelani and Jeremy resigned from their respective parties in the coalition.
Jelani and Jeremy who resigned in November have announced their support for Barisan Nasional (BN) while Hiew who quit DAP in September has declared that he is an ‘Independent’ elected representative.
Speculations about Hiew leaving DAP was rife following his resignation as the state adviser on Aug 12 after four of DAP Sabah leaders called for disciplinary action to be taken against him for supporting Klias assemblyman Lajim as Sabah Opposition leader instead of the party’s choice, Bumburing.
For Jelani and Jeremy, they claimed to have lost confidence in the opposition party as their reason for leaving and felt that only BN can bring development to Sabah.
Together with some divisional leaders who had attended PKR’s special congress in Kuala Lumpur, they met with BN chairman Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to inform the latter of their intention to resign from PKR and support BN.
Sabah PKR experienced its fair share on internal problems other than just the resignation of Jelani and Jeremy.
The state leadership saw a change when Lajim was appointed to replace Ahmad Thamrin Jaini as Sabah PKR Liaison chairman. Lajim in turn named Christina as deputy state liaison chief, Datuk James Ghani as secretary and Terrence as treasurer.
Jelani together with Dr Roland were appointed to fill two of the three vice chairmen posts while Jeremy was appointed as the state PKR information chief.
Jelani has also accused Lajim of sidelining the KDM in the state PKR line-up after the latter reshuffled the line-up following his appointment as Sabah PKR Liaison chief, replacing Ahmad Thamrin Jaini.
Lajim who claimed to have the support of most of the Sabah PKR divisional chiefs said that Jelani was wrong to say that because 40 per cent of the state leaders are KDM and the number may increase in the future, Lajim.
Lajim also said state PKR leaders and division heads had signed a resolution refuting Jelani’s claim that he did not get any support from them.
“According to him I was appointed by de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim but that is far from the truth because I was given the mandate by the division heads who signed a memorandum which was handed to party president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Ismail,” Lajim had told the media.
For Sabah STAR, its sole elected representative, Dr Jeffrey had been quoted as saying that he is an independent who is not supporting BN or PR.