PENAMPANG: Padis Majingkin has asserted that he is still a member of United Pasokmomogun KadazanDusun Murut Organization (UPKO) Kota Marudu.
The UPKO Kota Marudu vice divisional chief however admitted that he did apply to join Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) last year but had a change of heart after handing over the application form to PBS deputy president Datuk Dr Maximus Ongkili.
Padis said this in response to allegation by a UPKO Kota Marudu member that several of the division’s leaders and branches’ members have declared themselves as PBS members.
Speaking at a press conference yesterday, Padis who was accompanied by acting UPKO Kota Marudu Women chief Sainggim Majungil and several of the division’s leaders, explained that there was a misunderstanding with regard to their membership.
“On May 4 last year I represented about 300 UPKO members to hand over our membership application forms to Datuk Dr Maximus. It was only a symbolic ceremony as the forms we filled in were incomplete.
“After handing over the forms, I took them all back so that we can complete them. It was then that I had a change of heart and never submitted the forms to the PBS Tandek office. The forms are still with me,” he said.
He added that there may be some of the 300 who could have re-applied individually to join PBS.
According to Padis, he had never resigned from UPKO and is still a member of the party up to now.
“During UPKO’s 13th triennial general meeting in 2011, some internal problems involving communication and management had cropped up in UPKO Kota Marudu. Most of the members including myself were disappointed with the situation and decided to join another Barisan Nasional (BN) component party.
“We were acting on emotion but our hearts were still with UPKO, which is why our application forms were not completed,” he pointed out.
The PBS Tandek divisional secretary had also sent a clarification letter to clear up the air about his membership to UPKO secretary general Datuk Wilfred Madius Tangau, Padis said.
He also expressed the UPKO Kota Marudu divisional leaders’ appeal to the party’s central leadership to allow them to hold the triennial general meeting (TGM) before the party’s congress in October.
“The divisional TGM is supposed to be held on September 15 but due to the complaint from an UPKO Kota Marudu member about our membership, the UPKO central leadership decided to temporarily suspend the division.
“We are very disappointed with the central leadership’s decision. So we are appealing to be allowed to hold the meeting as scheduled on September 15 or any time before the main congress next month,” he said, adding that the division leaders would be submitting an appeal letter to party president Tan Sri Bernard Dompok.
Padis also announced his intention to contest for the division’s top post and said that he has the blessings of acting divisional chief Azlan Shafie @ Raymond Mojumah and from the branches in the area.
If given the mandate, Padis vowed to continue strengthening the party’s position in Kota Marudu and carry out the responsibility according to the party’s struggles.
Sainggim meanwhile also expressed the hope of the division’s women movement that the remaining leaders be allowed to hold the TGM which is very important to them.
She said that through the meeting, the remaining divisional leaders can reactivate the branches as there are many of leaders who are willing to serve UPKO voluntarily.