Anwar, Azizah to ‘woo’ Sabahans and Sarawakians

Luke Rintod of FMT

PKR is bent on changing the perception of
Sabahans and Sarawakians that the party is
no different from its rival Umno

KOTA KINABALU: PKR leaders Anwar Ibrahim and wife Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail are aiming to change the perceptions that the party is not keen to hear the cry of Sabahans and Sarawakians for autonomy as pledged in the 1963 Malaysia Agreement, but long broken by the federal government.

 

Anwar has been accused by various quarters of being cool to the idea of a freer and autonomous Sabah and Sarawak resulting in perceptions that PKR is no different from its rival Umno when it comes to empowering the two resource-rich states.

It was reliably learnt yesterday that Anwar has sent messages to party people here and in Sarawak to play up state right issues at the respective state conventions which will be held almost simulataneously here and Kuching on Saturday.

Both husband and wife, who will be present at the conventions, will attempt to re-ignite enthusiasm within the party in the two states when they launch the opposition’s “Orange Book” at the respective state conventions.

The Orange Book contains, among others, pledges by a Pakatan Rakyat government in its first 100 days in office should it form the federal government after the looming 13th general election.

It is learnt that Anwar and Azizah have also agreed to include pro-state issues presented by leading independent state figures, including former Human Rights Commission vice-chairman Simon Sipaun at the Sabah convention.

Sipaun will once again deliberate on the formation of Malaysia in 1963.

PKR has also apparently ordered that a paper titled “Sabah state autonomy” be presented by its former state chief, Ahmad Thamrin Jaini.

Observers said that Anwar was definitely trying to salvage the party’s image in Sabah and Sarawak after the exit of its maverick pro-autonomy leader, Jeffrey Kitingan, early this year.

Wooing Ibans and Bidayuhs

The Sabah PKR convention will be held at Beringgis Beach Resort in Kinarut near here and will be declared open by Anwar in the morning.

After that, Anwar will fly straight to Kuching to attend the state convention there where he will convince party leaders, especially the Ibans and Bidayuhs, not to leave for SNAP as have been rumoured lately.

His wife, Wan Azizah, who is chairperson of the PKR presidential council for Sabah, will launch the Orange Book later in the evening.

There will be nine papers for the Sabah convention.

Besides Sipaun and Thamrin, others who will present papers are Kong Hong Ming on land matters; Dr Chong Eng Leong (royal commission of inquiry on illegal immigrants); Juliana Jusit (empowering women); and James Ghani (judiciary and state-federal relations).

S Vanugopal of the Sabah Law Association (SLA) will present a paper on “State rights of Sabah:  Constitutional Provisions and Deviations”; Karim Ghani (A new deal for Sabah); and Jafery Jamion (youth goals).