Anwar’s statement signifies progress in opposition co-operation-SAPP

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) welcomes the offer by Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) de facto leader Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim to Sabah-based opposition parties to contest some of the seats that were contested by PKR. in previous general elections with a view to achieve a one-to-one fight against the Barisan Nasional (BN) in the coming 13th general election.

"On the part of SAPP, we will reciprocate such goodwill and understancling with adjustments to SAPP's preparations for the elections, which is widely expected to be in June," said SAPP president Datuk Yong Teck Lee.

Although Anwar positively named SAPP, SAPP is nevertheless conscious of the fact that Anwar also referred to other opposition parties and politicians. SAPP is hopeful that co-operation with other parties, like State Reform Party (STAR), will strengthen the opposition.

There are also other experienced leaders who are still in the BN whose departure from the BN will contribute towards the eventual defeat of the BN at the coming general elections, he said in a statement yesterday.

Ever since SAPP left the BN on September 17, 2008, Yong said SAPP had joined nationwide efforts to topple BN. In SAPP's fight for Sabah autonomy and the solution to Sabah issues at both the State and Federal levels, SAPP reaffirms its support to Anwar as incoming Prime Minister.

 

“SAPP reaffirms the continuation of the spirit of the gentleman agreement between SAPP and PKR leaders achieved in October 2010 prior to the Batu Sapi by-election. Although PKR and SAPP contested in a three-corner fight (against the BN) at Batu Sapi, the agreement was that the common enemy is the BN.

"Therefore, at Batu Sapi, SAPP and PKR had campaigned against the BN and not against each other. This trust between the two parties was not breached during and after the by-election. The Batu Sapi experience hence became a reference point in SAPP's plans for the general elections," Yong pointed out.

Anwar said on Saturday that PKR is willing to compromise and even give some of the seats it plans to contest to SAPP, to ensure a one-to-one fight with BN in the 13th general election.

He said PKR was currently in discussion with several parties to collaborate against the ruling party.

“As far as PKR is concerned, we agree that we should negotiate and if necessary, PKR willgive some seats to them to ensure victory for Pakatan Rakyat (PR)," he said to reporters after attending a Gathering and Economic Forum at Tanjung Aru here.

SAPP is the only state-based opposition expected to contest in the coming election, a part from the Sabah Chapter of Sarawak-based STAR led by Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan.

Anwar said he believed a straight fight in Sabah would spell the end for Umno and BN, and based on several previous meetings, he said there were a lot of common grounds PKR and SAPP could work on.

The Borneo Post

Monday, April 16, 2012

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