Sabah’s not your lab rat, says Masidi in swipe at BN

PETALING JAYA: A Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) leader has taken a swipe at Ahmad Zahid Hamidi after he said the Sabah polls would be a “laboratory” to test the cooperation between Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Harapan.

GRS secretary-general Masidi Manjun said it was uncalled for to use the Sabah election to experiment with political alliances, adding that it made the Bornean state look like a lab rat, Berita Harian reported.

He added that using Sabah as a mere test subject would be detrimental to the state.

“With all parties preparing to face the state election, there have been various comments, but one statement had hurt me — when a leader said (the Sabah polls) would be a political laboratory.

“That means we’re nothing more than political material, as though we’re not important and are merely being used to test political alliances. This is something that disappoints all of us in Sabah.

DISYORKAN UNTUK ANDA :

Kem Hamzah Terkulai Dalam Pemilihan BERSATU

“All these years, haven’t we contributed to the wealth and strength of the nation? After all this, do we only deserve to be a political testing ground?” he was quoted as saying.

Last Sunday, Zahid said the Sabah polls will be important to test the understanding between PH and BN for the next general election.

He had also said the cooperation between the two coalitions would be the foundation of an alliance for the state election, which would also be open to other coalitions and parties.

Both BN and GRS have stated their intention to work with PH in the state election.

However, state PKR chief Mustapha Sakmud has said that Sabah PH will first settle internal talks among components before starting negotiations with other parties or coalitions on an alliance for the state polls.

DISYORKAN UNTUK ANDA :

Mungkin Sekarang Ini Ada Pemimpin UMNO Sedang Ketawa Besar

Masidi said Sabah had been used as a political laboratory in the 1990s, with the chief minister rotated every two years, but said this did not have the intended outcome as two years was too brief for any leader to make his mark.

The deputy president of Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah also maintained that he was not anti-Malaya and was keen on working with PH in the state polls.

“We just want Sabahans to be respected. We’re not going over the top, but as I’ve said, when Sabahans feel appreciated, they will be proud to be Malaysians.”