SANDAKAN: Kinabatangan Umno Division committee member Datuk Juhari Janan on Thursday announced his decision to quit the party and expressed intention to join Pakatan Gagasan Rakyat Sabah (Gagasan Rakyat).
Juhari, who is Kampung Hidayat Suan Lamba Umno branch chief, announced the decision together with 35 Umno branch heads involving 2,000 members.
"This decision was made voluntarily without any coercion from anyone, to support the local party in developing Sabah and demanding equal rights.
“We took the decision to leave after considering Sabah’s development needs could be better fulfilled by joining Gagasan Rakyat,” he said, adding the State lagged behind Sarawak which was able to obtain what it demanded from the Federal Government.
“I have decided to give full support to Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor to spearhead the Sabah Government,” he told a press conference here.
Juhari said his resignation letter had been sent to the Kinabatangan Umno Division office.
Juhari had previously held the posts of Sabah Umno Youth Chief, Umno Youth Exco, Kinabatangan Umno Division Vice Chief, Kinabatangan Umno Division Treasurer and Kinabatangan Umno Youth Chief.
He said his entry into Gagasan Rakyat would help gain more new members for the party in Kinabatangan.
This comes after four assemblymen from Sabah Barisan Nasional-Umno and one aligned to Sabah Barisan, as well as three Parti Warisan representatives announced their decision to join Gagasan Rakyat on Monday (Feb 20).
Gagasan Rakyat is the new political vehicle of Hajiji who is also the Chairman of the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) ruling state coalition.
Meanwhile, Kinabatangan Umno Division Information Chief Datuk Titing Putang said the division remained intact and not affected by the departure of some of its members to Gagasan Rakyat.
While they respected the decision by the group, Titing said the mood among the remaining loyal members had not been jeopardised and instead they were more driven now to uphold the party’s fight and struggles.
“This culture of party hopping is not something new and has been existent in Sabah for so long and the people are mature to see that,” he said in a statement.
He contended that those who chose to defect from the division, which is led by Sabah Umno Chief and Kinabatangan MP Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin, were not members with principles and integrity, adding they were also ungrateful towards the party which contributed much to their positions and wellbeing now.
“Like the saying goes, where there is sugar, there are bound to be ants.
“That is how humans will be when their personal agendas are unfulfilled, they will find new opportunities for their survival ... but whatever it is we wish them all the best,” Titing said.
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