KOTA KINABALU, May 17 — Barisan Nasional (BN) and Pakatan Harapan (PH) leaders have been lambasted for using the Unity Government Secretariat letterhead to announce their Sabah state election cooperation.
Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) deputy secretary-general Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali said it is inappropriate since it only involves the understanding of two coalitions.
He said the action by the PH and United Malays National Organisation (Umno) secretary generals, Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail and Datuk Wira Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki, had caused unconstructive political polemics in Sabah.
This situation had forced Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor to respond, and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to explain Hajiji’s statement during a recent visit to Tawau, he said.
Armizan pointed out that Saifuddin and Asyraf should be careful of their actions as the issue has become the attention of the media and rakyat in Sabah.
“They are free to issue official statements representing their respective party coalitions, but the official letterhead of the Unity Government Secretariat can only be used if the stance represents the consensus of all party coalitions,” he said during the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry (KPDN) media appreciation night at a resort here Friday.
On May 9, Saifuddin and Asyraf had announced a cooperation between BN and PH for the Sabah state elections using the Unity Government Secretariat letterhead, which displays the logos of the Unity Government component parties.
Armizan also questioned whether the involved secretariat had issued the official media statement without referring to the Unity Government Leadership Consultative Council.
“Will the Unity Government Secretariat also issue such statements regarding the coming Sarawak state elections?” he asked.
The KPDN minister hopes the Unity Government Leadership Consultative Council secretary-general Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof can take action to ensure such incidents do not recur.
He also urged for the acceptance of the unique political landscapes in states such as Sabah, Sarawak, Melaka and Johor, which will be facing their respective state elections.
“If stability is the goal, mutual respect is required,” stressed Armizan. — The Borneo Post
