Sabah BN leaders’ exit spells trouble for Najib, says Pakatan leaders

KUALA LUMPUR, July 29 — The resignation of two senior Sabah Barisan Nasional (BN) leaders from the ruling coalition comes at an inopportune time for BN just as the coalition is gearing up for the polls.
“The latest episode of open rebellion by Sabah BN leaders is ominous for Najib as with his ‘fixed deposit’ in Sabah, the inevitability of BN’s downfall is coming sooner rather than later,” said DAP’s national publicity secretary Tony Pua.

Earlier this afternoon in Sabah, Tuaran MP Datuk Seri Wilfred Bumburing announced that he was leaving BN and pledged his support for Pakatan Rakyat (PR).

Datuk Seri Lajim Ukin, an Umno supreme council member, had yesterday said he was resigning from all party positions.

Both politicians are setting up new PR- friendly political movements — Bumburing’s Angkatan Perubahan Sabah (APS) launched this afternoon while Lajim will be launching his Pakatan Perubahan Sabah (PPS) in Beaufort this evening.

Pua appeared to be suggesting that Bumburing and Lajim were disgruntled and had lost confidence in Najib’s leadership as BN president.

With Wilfred Bumburing also quitting, you will see a united force that will strengthen Pakatan Rakyat. — Rafizi Ramli

“Najib’s hold on power is looking increasingly untenable by the day, especially with the continuing postponement of the election since last year,” Pua told The Malaysian Insider today.

“In fact, the longer he delays polls, [there will be] more disgruntlement among its members and leaders, with increasing loss of confidence in his leadership (or lack of),” he said.

PKR’s strategic director Rafizi Ramli said that this latest “development is not only big in Sabah” as it will boost PR’s chances of taking over Putrajaya in the upcoming general elections.

“With Wilfred Bumburing also quitting, you will see a united force that will strengthen Pakatan Rakyat,” he said.

“This will significantly shift the prospects for elections in Sabah with easily 10 Parliamentary seats endangered (for BN) in Sabah.”

PAS’s vice-president Datuk Mahfuz Omar also concurred with his allies in PR.

“This shows they are making a new momentum for Sabah and Malaysia without Umno and BN,” he said.

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