Umno, PBS squeeze insignificant ‘brother’

Pushed to a corner, Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS) president
Joseph Kurup will have to decide on his party's political future.

The recent spat between Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS) and Umno over the Pensiangan parliamentary seat in the coming general election, tells us at least two stories – one of arrogance and the other weakness.

PBRS, refered to here in Sabah as a “mosquito party”, is a weak party and cannot be counted on to deliver Pensiangan for Barisan Nasional but Umno is as arrogant as before, if not more emboldened now.

PBRS president, Joseph Kurup, is understandably upset at Umno vice-president, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s call for Pensiangan be given to Umno.

This has forced Kurup to think of an alternative area for where he is more suited than Pensiangan.

Kurup “won” Pensiangan in the 2008 general election by default.

A court ruling upheld the election officer’s decision to deny other potential candidates contesting for the seat, citing technicalities, especially against PKR’s Danny Andipai.

The local sentiment was evident when Kurup during the nomination in 2008, was shoved by angry crowds. One local Murut man even punched him at the nomination centre.

Unfortunately for Kurup, all has not been forgotten.

Now, Umno ally Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) has also come out in support of granting Umno the rural seat.

Kurup’s former party accused PBRS of being a failure and unable to defend the seat in the coming general election.

Falling short of saying: “We will not support PBRS anymore”, PBS may have delivered a fatal blow to Kurup’s and his party’s ambitions.

Political strategistS can’t foresee PBRS winning a single seat in the coming elections.

No future

Currently PBRS has only one MP (Kurup in Pensiangan) and one State assemblyman (Elron Alfred Angin in Sook, within Pensiangan) who is also a Sabah assistant minister.

Angin, a former national sprint champion, has so far not come to Kurup’s aid, at least openly.

He knows too that he needs Umno and PBS support in his own Sook state constituency, and his silence can be explained.

Kurup has said, and he is saying it everywhere nowadays, that PBRS might as well re-examine its position in the BN coalition if Umno wants to take all seats for itself, especially his own Pensiangan.

But will Kurup take out PBRS from BN? Does he have the guts? If he does pull out his party, will it have any effect on BN? Will PBRS be able to win any seat then?

Political observers do not believe Kurup will ever pull out from BN. Even if he does, PBRS under Kurup is a non-starter to win any seat, many observers believe.

It will be different if for instance a leader like Jeffrey Kitingan heads it.

“With due respect, Kurup has been around for more than 30 years either as Sabah cabinet minister or federal deputy minister, and his record is certainly not among the best. You can see it in Sook and Pensiangan, or the condition his party is in.

“Prior to becoming MP, Kurup had been the assemblyman for Sook. Kurup has tried his best and that was the best he can give.

“You don’t expect there will be a sudden change in style from this man,” said Robert, a local Pensiangan political activist.

Money speaks

Umno men are going around Pensiangan telling the people that they can do much better to bring in developments for the people in the area if one of their own is the MP.

Pensiangan and Sook are notorious for bad roads and makeshift bridges made by placing logs across crevices.

Every now and then, pictures of the poor road conditions appear in the Sabah newspapers with villagers calling for help which ironically never comes.

Umno is hoping to cash in on this disaster of Kurup’s own making. They have the money to buy over PBRS supporters.

It has been evident that rural voters are easily swayed by money. Even a RM50 note can do wonders in Pensiangan.

So, in or out of BN, PBRS inevitably stares at the possibility of annihilation. Things do not bode well for Kurup and his PBRS in the coming general election.