KOTA KINABALU – Kesejahteraan Masyarakat Demokratik (KDM), the Sabah party led by embattled politician Datuk Peter Anthony, will not wait for the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) coalition to accept it into the fold and will go into the general election alone.
Anthony confirmed this when he announced that KDM’s Kota Kinabalu division chief Datuk Seri Winston Liaw will contest the Kota Kinabalu federal seat at a press conference here last night.
He also revealed that Datuk Wetrom Bahanda, the Bandau assemblyman speculated to have quit Bersatu for Warisan, will be contesting the Kota Marudu seat under KDM’s ticket.
“I think we are all aware that we have not been accepted (into GRS). There has not been a black-and-white (acceptance letter), but Parliament has been dissolved.
Seeing the situation now, yes, we have to do so (go solo in facing the election), because we don’t have the black-and-white from GRS,” he said, adding that KDM will contest using its own rafflesia logo.
Anthony formed KDM in February this year after he left Warisan, where he was vice-president, in December last year.
The Melalap assemblyman also hinted that Limbahau assemblyman Datuk Juil Nuatim will contest the Papar federal seat.
He only smiled when asked if he was to contest in Tenom.
However, Anthony said KDM will remain friendly with GRS at the Sabah level, and support the leadership of Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Mohd Noor, who is chairman of the coalition.
“I already said that nobody can replace him (Hajiji). But this general election is to determine the federal government.
“So the party has decided to contest several parliamentary seats in Sabah,” he said, adding that KDM candidates will soon be revealed for more than four seats.
Anthony said while this would mean KDM candidates will be contesting against GRS candidates, KDM has to continue its plan to contest in the coming election because its candidates and machinery in urban and rural areas have been prepared.
Wetrom confirms departure from Bersatu
He also said there will be a lot of new faces on the KDM candidates’ list.
Hajiji may avert multi-cornered fights with friendly parties if he decides to include KDM in GRS before the election.
Other than KDM, parties that seek to be components of GRS are the Liberal Democratic Party, Parti Cinta Sabah, Parti Harapan Rakyat Sabah, and Parti Kerjasama Anak Negeri.
Anthony still has an ongoing court case pending appeal at the high court, after he was found guilty by the sessions court in Kuala Lumpur for falsifying a letter from the Universiti Malaysia Sabah vice-chancellor’s office last May.
Meanwhile, Wetrom, who was appointed as KDM deputy president (Muslim quota), confirmed that he has officially left Sabah Bersatu and joined KDM, which he saw as more suited to his fights for the people’s aspirations in Kota Marudu.
He said he does not know what will happen to his state ministerial position as the assistant minister to the chief minister, but added that it is Hajiji’s prerogative.
Speculation that Wetrom had joined Warisan started when a video of him announcing that he will be contesting Kota Marudu under Warisan went viral on social media last week.
Warisan’s president Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal later said that he would consider the matter. – The Vibes, October 22, 2022
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