KOTA KINABALU, Dec 14 — Sabah Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairman Datuk Seri Ronald Kiandee has reportedly mocked Sabah Progressive Party’s (SAPP) decision to exit the opposition coalition, saying it may struggle to survive following the move.
The Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia vice-president also questioned whether SAPP will perform in the upcoming Sabah state election following its exit.
“That’s also only if they are allocated seats by Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS), considering that all parties within the coalition are vying for the same seats, such as the Liberal Democratic Party and PBS, which are eyeing Chinese-majority constituencies,” he was quoted saying by Free Malaysia Today.
“And if Pakatan Harapan joins the fray, I hope that [SAPP] won’t end up becoming nominated assemblymen again.”
Kiandee also mentioned how SAPP president Datuk Yong Teck Lee was only nominated as an assemblyman in 2020 due to PN’s goodwill.
Yong had earlier announced that SAPP disagrees with PN’s insistence on fielding candidates from parties based in West Malaysia.
In response, Kiandee said SAPP is not entitled to block PN from contesting in the state election.
“They must not forget that PN won 11 seats in the last state election [before shifting to GRS], while SAPP’s sole assembly seat came through PN’s goodwill,” he reportedly said.
SAPP remains a member of the ruling Sabah coalition GRS, that is part of the national unity government.
The GRS coalition, led by Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor, is aiming to contest all 73 state seats.
