PKR Sepanggar reply to Felix Sitaun statement

By Thimothy Thomas Lim

We refer to Mr. Felix Sitaun’s announcement to quit PKR to join STAR reported on 5th March 2012.

PKR Sepanggar wishes to set the record straight here.

It is true that Felix Sitaun was elected as the divisional head of PKR Sepanggar in September 2010. However, he had maintained, at all times, that he was a proxy to Daniel John Jambun whose membership was suspended by PKR due to his affiliations with Party Cinta Sabah. Using the excuse that he is a proxy, Felix has been inactive and ineffective. By early 2011, he asked to be on ‘sick leave’ and thereby relinquished all his positions in the party.

We are surprised at Felix’s statement. He has not been an active member of PKR for the past 18 months ever since he was elected. Despite that, he is now using his former position to gain political mileage to join STAR.

To date, we have not received any resignation from other members.

We wish to caution the rakyat on irresponsible ‘leaders’ who immersed themselves in this ‘party jumping culture’. These ‘leaders’ only prove that they are inherently inconsistent with no vision and certainly no ability to carry through those visions to change Sabah. Leaders should be people who will stick to their members through thick and thin in good or bad times – not hop away as the fire gets closer.

So far, STAR had only made empty promises with no means to do so. Challenges on how STAR would implement its promises are met with a deafening silence. With 25 out of 222 seats in the Dewan Rakyat, Sabah cannot afford to alienate itself. Without the cooperation from other partners in Sarawak and West Malaysia, STAR will never be able to create any policy nor amend any laws. This rhetoric of ‘Sabah for Sabahans’ is a meaningless warcry that cannot be implemented. Sabah is a partner in the formation of Malaysia. We must therefore take part as a partner in building this nation.

Parti keADILan Rakyat is a national party - a Malaysian party. Under Pakatan Rakyat, Sabah is recognised as a partner in the formation of Malaysia together with Malaya and Sarawak. PKR Sabah consists of leaders who were born and grew up in Sabah. I dare say each of the leaders in PKR have the interest of Sabah at heart.

Since Felix Sitaun had taken ‘sick leave’ from early last year, the Deputy Division Head, Mr. Thimothy Thomas Lim had taken over the leadership as pro tem Division Head of PKR Sepanggar division. The division committee has full confidence in Thimothy’s leadership as protem division head. In fact, PKR Sepanggar has grown tremendously under his helm. Every week, new members join us in our cause. Among other activities, we also ran a wheelchair donation for old folks who had not been able to obtain aid from the government.

PKR Sepanggar hosts Pusat Khidmat Rakyat every Sunday covering Inanam town, Menggatal town, Telipok, Indah Permai and other places. Members of the public, young and old, are welcome to join us at Inanam town this Sunday from 8 a.m.

PKR Sepanggar is not daunted by the defector. Felix Sitaun’s departure from PKR has no effect at all. We shall continue to forge ahead with the interests of the rakyat at heart. We will keep fighting. For justice. For the rakyat.

Salam reformasi.