Ex-PBS rebels up in arms over spoils of office

Sabah deputy speaker Johnny Mositun has come under fire from former Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) rebels still in Barisan Nasional for his allegedly hostile remarks towards them.

Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS) senior vice-president Cyril Yansalang was first off the mark in launching a tirade at the PBS information chief.

He was particularly upset with Mositun for telling the local media that "PBRS has got more than what it deserves".

"Mositun actually owes his deputy speaker's post to PBRS because James Vitales who held it (previously) returned to PBS with the post," fumed Cyril.

"Even (PBS president Joseph Pairin) Kitingan owes his government posts to PBRS because we worked hard for his victories in Tambunan and Keningau."

Mositun's 'offending' remarks were a response to PBRS president Joseph Kurup (left)'s recent public lament that his party has nothing to show for all its years in the BN. He had also called for imbalances in the allocation of scholarships, civil service jobs and promotions to be rectified.

The thrust of Mositun's remarks was that ex-PBS rebels still in BN should return to the party if they want a "bigger share of the cake".

Dismissing the 'bigger share of the cake' theory, Cyril stressed that there is no such thing as big and small parties in BN, claiming "all are equal".

He pointed out that all BN parties send three representatives each to the supreme council meetings in Kuala Lumpur. He said he sees this as the test of equality in the coalition even though BN Sabah has not met for the last four years.

He denied that PBRS has had problems in getting a quorum for annual general meetings, but inadvertently let the cat out of the bag by claiming that "it was more due to unavailability of the guest of honour at the last minute".

Reiterating PBRS secretary-general, Johnson Tee's remarks, Cyril stressed that Kalakau Untol's departure recently from United PasokMomogun KadazanDusunMurut Organisation (Upko ) for the opposition "was a wake up call for the BN in Sabah".

"The BN should take care of all its component parties and practise what it preaches - the equal sharing of power. This is what the BN spirit and concept is all about," said Cyril.

Kalakau's departure had been immediately preceded by Upko deputy president Wilfred Bumburing raising concerns over the direction of the BN's power-sharing formula in line with its "concept and spirit".

PBRS Inanam division deputy chief Weills Magium labeled Mositun as "someone who has a tendency to create rifts among BN component parties".

Kurup's line is that after 15 years and endless meetings, he is worried that his party could one day vanish "although it is not a mere passenger in the BN coalition".

"PBRS has achieved nothing to be proud about after a decade and a half of its existence," he said, sketching a vague scenario.

"It is crucial that all party members work together to find out the root of the problem."

No apology for remarks

Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) also sees PBS as an arch villain when it comes to sharing the cake.

LDP secretary-general Teo Chee Kang expressed dismay that all posts of Kapitan Cina (Chinese community leader) and people's development leaders - previously held by the Sabah Progressive Party (Sapp) - have been given to PBS.

"This was an insult to all Chinese-based BN component parties. It was tantamount to suggesting that there is no more talent except in PBS. The opposition can now celebrate the demise of the BN spirit in Sabah," said Teo.

However, Mositun was in no mood to apologise for "the truth".

"Some of the smaller parties were getting more than their fair share of the cake in terms of representation in government," said Mositun in rebuttal.

"This has earned the BN criticism from parties that felt left out. The BN always tries to accommodate every component party's requests."

The bottom line, he said, is that former PBS rebels still in BN are free to return to the party - either as individuals or through mergers - if they still feel sidelined.

PBRS, Upko and Sapp are all breakaway groups from PBS preceding and succeeding the 1994 state election.

Sapp pulled out of BN within months of the 2008 general election, citing loss of confidence in the federal leadership. Privately, the return of PBS to the BN is cited as the real reason.

LDP, a of the former Berjaya Party which was ousted from power in 1985 by PBS, is one of the many Sabah BN parties with Chinese membership.

courtesy of Malaysiakini