IS 'UPKO'S STATEMENT' A VEILED THREAT?

Upko's statement a veiled threat'

Kota Kinabalu: Penampang Umno on Sunday described Upko's recent statement that the party still wants to give BN a chance to prove its worth as a veiled threat if things do not go their way.

  Its Chief, Datuk John Ambrose, felt that Upko Deputy President Datuk Seri Wilfred M. Bumburing had to resort to "twisting the arms of the BN" instead of working diligently to seek solutions to the problems facing the State.

The issue on illegal immigrants is a thorn in the stability of the State but that for Bumburing to pressure the BN to walk the talk in solving the issue, he said everyone has a commitment to ensure that solutions can be effectively drawn through the participation of all concerned.

"There is no need to utter threats because it would only give a false impression that they (BN) had done everything possible and that the door on the issue has remained closed," he said in a statement.

As leaders within the BN government, he said, they are bound by rules and regulations and that they work within the frameworks that are available to them in accordance with the spirit of the coalition.

We should accept that the most important is for leaders to work together to explore very possible means in addressing the needs of the people so that amicable solutions could be achieved.

"But I do not understand what Bumburing meant when he said that the people are angry with the Labuan-Menumbok bridge and that the hundreds of million of ringgit could be better spent on other developments.

"Because Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has already declared that the bridge would not be constructed," he said.

Muhyiddin, he said, mentioned a week ago that the Government would improve the ferry services instead of constructing the bridge.

On a similar tone, he also queried Bumburing's statement accusing Penampang Umno for claiming that the branch was solely responsible for ensuring Upko's parliamentary victory in the previous election.

To this, he said during a Penampang BN meeting, he had personally stressed that Umno in the constituency would not lobby for any seat but that it would work for the victory of any candidate chosen by the leadership to represent BN in the general election.

He also reiterated that in Penampang Umno's recent party annual meeting, the branch would not lobby for any seat in Penampang, be it a seat in the legislative assembly or for that matter, the parliamentary seat.

This, Ambrose said, should have been appreciated by Bumburing.

He, however, said Penampang Umno would be very happy if it is accommodated a seat in the senate.

He said this is because it would augur well for the benefit of the people in Penampang, particularly Umno members who also need to be allocated a fair share of the development projects in the constituency.

"But I would like to stress here that even if Umno Penampang were to lobby for a seat in the Penampang constituency, the move should not be taken out of context.

"This is because our Prime Minister stressed during his visit in Penampang that everyone is free to lobby for a seat in the next general election but that only the best candidate should be given the privilege to contest so that the coalition can be assured of victory," he said.

Whatever it is, Ambrose said it is important for every BN leader, or supporter, to work together for the wellbeing of the State as a whole so that they will not falter in the vision of the Prime Minister to develop the country in accordance with the 1Malaysia concept.

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