KUALA LUMPUR: Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS) president Tan Sri Joseph Kurup today cautioned DAP and its adviser Lim Kit Siang against promoting political extremism in Sabah.
Kurup said there appeared to be no limits on how low Lim was willing to go, “as long as his goal of expanding DAP influence in Sabah is achieved, even if that means promoting political extremism in the serene and peaceful land of Pensiangan”.
“There is a time and place for politics but to all peace loving Malaysians, including my fellow Sabahans, there will never be any space for political hatred.
“Unfortunately, this noble principle is not something Lim neither understands nor appreciates as he embarks on his endless journey of polluting the hearts and minds of peace-loving Sabahans with his scorching political hatred.
“For the record, I wish to remind Lim that the Sabahan people may be innocent and kind hearted, but never shall we abandon our core principles of rejecting all sorts of political and religious extremism from any party, especially a political party from Peninsular like DAP that has never been a positive factor in the political demographic in Sabah,” he said in a statement today.
Kurup was responding on Lim’s recent visit to Pensiangan, where he had raised the issue of the purported silence of Barisan Nasional component parties against Umno and Pas’ cooperation on the proposed amendments to the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965, known as RUU355.
Lim had last week questioned why MCA president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai, Gerakan president Datuk Mah Siew Keong, and MIC president Datuk S. Subramaniam were so lukewarm to his proposal of a Pensiangan Formula to address the political and constitutional stalemate created by Umno’s support for Pas president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang’s Private Member’s Bill for the RUU355.
Lim had also stated that Kurup had failed in his duty as Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department owing to the alleged threat posed by the bill to national unity and the Malaysia Agreement 1963.
Kurup challenged DAP and Lim to state what they have done for Sabah and Pensiangan in the past decades as evidence of the party’s love to the people of Sabah.
“Never mind the previous well documented record of Lim contesting in different states from one general election to another.
“Perhaps Lim can start by listing down what he has done for the voters in Gelang Patah who elected him as a member of parliament in the last general election, since he is such a good judge of other MPs’ service record,” he said.
Kurup also reminded Lim of his “previous cordial friendship with Pas president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang”.
“While Lim passionately shouts about the impact of the RUU355, does he still remember that it is Pas, DAP’s former partner, that initiated the RUU355.
“If Lim has any problems about that piece of legislation, he should know which number to call to register his complaint,” he added.