LDP firmly rejects alliance with Umno
Chin delivering his speech at the opening of the convention.
KOTA KINABALU (June 15): Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has firmly rejected any form of electoral alliance with Umno in the upcoming 17th Sabah State Election, citing concerns over corruption, power abuse, and lack of reform in the party.
'We in LDP strongly oppose any electoral pact between Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) and Barisan Nasional (BN)-Umno,' said its president Datuk Chin Su Phin at LDP west coast joint divisional conference here on Sunday.
He pointed to the historic 2018 general election when Malaysians, including Sabahans, voted out the BN-Umno government due to rampant corruption, abuse of power, and the 1MDB scandal involving former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.
'Despite its fall, Umno refuses to reform. Some of its leaders, like Youth chief Dr Akmal Saleh, continue to exploit racial and religious sentiments. Worse still, the party refuses to accept Najib's guilt despite overwhelming evidence that led to his conviction,' he said.
Chin criticized Umno's push for Najib's full pardon and request for house arrest as a gross injustice to the people.
'Yes, Najib contributed to the country during his tenure, but a true leader must also own up to their mistakes and accept the consequences,' he stressed.
He also recalled Umno Sabah chief Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin's failed attempt to topple the Hajiji-led GRS government in 2022, stating, 'GRS should not even consider a pact with BN-Umno in the next election.'
On the local political landscape, Chin urged voters to support Sabah-based parties, noting the success of Sarawak in asserting its autonomy. However, he expressed disappointment in Parti Warisan's approach.
'Warisan, though a local party, chooses to attack the GRS government and spread disinformation on social media. Apart from its president Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal, the party lacks capable leaders. Since losing power two years ago, we have not seen professionals join its ranks,' Chin said.
He added that Warisan is unlikely to win in Kadazan or Malay-majority seats due to weak candidates and a three-way vote split in Malay constituencies.
'Some Chinese voters say they want to support Warisan to change the government, but realistically, Warisan cannot form the next government without strong Kadazan and Malay support,' he said, cautioning that if Warisan loses, the Chinese community risks being labeled as the opposition bloc.
He warned voters not to 'put all eggs in one basket' and urged Chinese voters in Sabah's six Chinese-majority seats to think rationally.
'There is even a possibility that Warisan, though contesting independently, may team up with BN post-election if it fails to win enough seats. Voters must weigh all possibilities seriously,' he said.
Chin advised voters to evaluate candidates based on their qualifications and track records rather than party loyalty.
'During Warisan's rule, some assemblymen showed poor leadership. We cannot afford to elect underqualified individuals to ministerial positions,' he cautioned.
'We need to evaluate the candidates' backgrounds, rather than voting based on party. During Warisan's era, some of the assemblymen have displayed poor leadership and incompetency. Sabah's economy and development will suffer if subpar candidates are elected and appointed as ministers, roles that they are ill-equipped to perform well,' he claimed.
Chin expressed hope that Sabahans will unite and continue to support GRS in the next state election.
They must refrain from passing premature judgment on GRS based on the viral videos as the whistleblower may have his political intentions, he said, adding that the people should wait for the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to conducts its investigation into this matter in order to be fair to GRS.
According to him, the people must be wise and rational when it comes to the negative propaganda on social media targeting the GRS State Government, including baseless accusations on the lack of development or efforts to resolve water and electricity problems and damaged roads in Sabah.
'This is grossly unfair to the GRS government led by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Hajiji Noor given the track records and achievements of the current administration over the past few years,' Chin stressed.
According to him under Hajiji's leadership, Sabah's cash reserves has increased to RM8.6 billion, while state revenue will hit RM7 billion this year from RM4 billion in 2022.
The opposition, he said, has accused the GRS for the lack of investments in Sabah, but the fact is that SK Nexilis Malaysia Sdn Bhd and Kibing Group have invested RM11.34 billion on their manufacturing plants in Kota Kinabalu Industrial Park (KKIP).
Another significant investment is Esteel Enterprise Sabah Sdn Bhd's natural gas supply project worth RM20 billion, said Chin.
Additionally, GRS has implemented the six per cent sales tax on petroleum products, which enables the state government to collect RM1.5 billion annually.
Meanwhile, the longstanding amicable relationship between GRS and the Federal Government is reflected in the payment of RM600 million in interior special grant to Sabah this year, which is far more than the RM53 million received during Parti Warisan Sabah's (Warisan) governance.
'The excellent governance and accomplishments of GRS was recognized by the International Business Review (IBR), which named Sabah as Malaysia's Most Outstanding State for 2024 at The IBR ASEAN Awards 2025.
'These are only a fraction of the GRS' records of governance and achievements under Hajiji's leadership. The GRS government has undertaken great efforts to develop Sabah, as stated in detail on the Sabah Maju Jaya website, including assistance for the poor and underprivileged groups,' he said.
Chin said that the next state election will be different from previous ones, as it will not be held simultaneously with parliamentary polls. With Pakatan Harapan (PH) still in power at the federal level for the next two and a half years, he said it is crucial that Sabah's next government maintains a good relationship with Putrajaya.
'Whether GRS runs alone or in cooperation with Sabah PH will depend on ongoing negotiations. But the key message is this: PH will remain the federal government regardless of this election's outcome,' he said.
Chin called on all Sabahans to be wise and rational in their decisions adding, 'give GRS your strong mandate to continue leading Sabah. Choose competent leaders. Let us not gamble on Sabah's future. Let us vote responsibly.'
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