KOTA KINABALU – Sabah PKR information chief Chrisnadia Sinam has come out in defence of chairman Datuk Christina Liew, characterising the call for her to be replaced as nothing more than an attempt to destroy the state chapter’s image.
She said the statement by PKR Tawau division chief Tommy Thomas asking party president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to have Liew removed ignores her contributions to the party.
“The state leadership council has lambasted Thomas’s statement, which was without any correct information and made as if he was representing the divisional chiefs.
“His statement blaming and asking her to step down is as if he truly hates Liew and her hard work as Tawau MP,” said Chrisnadia yesterday.
Thomas earlier claimed seventeen divisional chiefs had changed their minds on supporting Liew and had signed a statutory declaration calling for her removal.
Claiming that Liew has done nothing for Sabah PKR, Thomas said that they have submitted the statutory declaration to Anwar and called for her immediate removal as state chief.
According to Chrisnadia, Liew has successfully led Sabah PKR in defeating the former Barisan Nasional regime, with the cooperation of Warisan and Pakatan Harapan (PH) ally DAP.
PKR also became part of the short-lived Warisan-led Sabah government. Liew was then appointed as Sabah deputy chief minister and state tourism, culture, and environment minister.
She said state PKR leaders were appointed to various positions, such as former Sabah PKR youth chief Raymond Ahuar, who became her political secretary.
“However, Ahuar was sacked by the cabinet for his actions that had tarnished the then Warisan-led Sabah government,” said Chrisnadia.
She added that efforts to assist divisional chiefs were also halted following the Warisan-led government’s collapse after 27 months in power.
Chrisnadia said the decision for Sabah PKR to contest only eight seats in the 2018 general election and seven seats during the Sabah election last year was not because Sabah PKR was weak, but was a strategic decision based on guidelines set by the central leadership.
“The justification to contest in fewer seats at that time was that it was part of rebuilding Sabah PKR, which had been left weak by past leaders,” said Chrisnadia.
She noted that Sabah PKR had been hit by three waves of leadership abandonment problems before 2018.
Chrisnadia also rubbished claims that only four divisions supported Liew, saying that a road tour under Liew has been well accepted by the divisional leaders.
She meanwhile questioned Thomas’ reason for issuing the statement now, when PH had performed poorly in the recent Melaka election and faces the Sarawak polls this month.
“It is as if they want PKR to not win any seats in Sarawak,” she said. – The Vibes, December 3, 2021
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