PETALING JAYA – Former foreign minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman made a surprise appearance at a Pakatan Harapan (PH) rally attended by the coalition’s chairman Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in Sepanggar here last night.
At the event, Anifah, who is also the president of Parti Cinta Sabah, took the opportunity to claim that Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had made him an offer on condition that he does not contest in Parliament to make way for an Umno candidate.
However, he did not want to take up the offer because he was sticking to his struggle regarding Sabah’s rights, especially the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), Berita Harian reported him as saying.
Anifah is not defending the Kimanis parliamentary seat he held previously in the 15th general election (GE15) on November 19. He had quit Umno and BN in 2018.
“The Umno president asked me not to contest and help the BN candidate. He promised to give me the position of foreign minister and have me appointed as a senator.
“That (job offer) is not what I want. What I want is to pay off anything written in the constitution and MA63. That is my struggle,” he said when speaking at the ceremony, according to Berita Harian.
Anifah said that he had always demanded for MA63 and for 40% of Sabah’s revenue to be given back to the state when he was in government, stressing that he feels it is important for the issue to be met.
He added that the return of 40% of revenue to Sabah could provide many opportunities for the people of the state, including jobs and the opening of small industries that would be beneficial for youth.
Meanwhile, Anifah also said that he was accompanying Anwar to help the PH leader campaign and win the election.
“I am the president of a small party, but I want to speak up for Sabah’s people,” he was quoted as saying by Sinar Harian.
“I am not running (as a candidate) because I want to be with Anwar and help the PH candidates.
“This is our last chance to determine who wins. The current political situation requires a leader who can deal with the economic recession, none other than former finance minister Anwar,” he added. – The Vibes, November 13, 2022
