KOTA KINABALU – A group made known its displeasure with PKR’s rumoured candidate for the Sepanggar seat, holding up a protest banner while party adviser Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail gave a speech.
The banner demanded that Sabah PKR treasurer Raymond Ahuar not be fielded as the party’s Sepanggar candidate.
The group unfurled the banner midway through Dr Wan Azizah’s speech at a meet-the-people session in Sepanggar today.
The banner read: “We reject Raymond Ahuar as the Keadilan candidate in Sepanggar, we reject outsiders, we want a local candidate.”
Ahuar was the former political secretary of the state Pakatan Harapan chairman Datuk Christina Liew, and is speculated to be chosen as the PKR candidate for the seat currently held by Warisan’s Datuk Mohd Azis Jamman.
The group held up the banner at the back of the hall until they were asked by party officials to come to the front. Dr Wan Azizah carried on with her speech without batting an eyelid.
Ahuar was the party’s candidate for Pensiangan in the 14th general election, but he lost to PBRS deputy president Datuk Arthur Kurup.
He is also the nephew of new state PKR chief Datuk Sangkar Rasam.
Ahuar had been among state PKR leaders who demanded Liew step down as Sabah PKR chairman before the party election.
The Sepanggar PKR division chief, Peto Galim, when approached about the matter, said he had nothing to do with the group’s action.
“I don’t know anything about the banner. It is not my instruction,” he said.
“But we have heard talk that the person mentioned in the banner would be fielded in Sepanggar.”
Galim said Sepanggar is one of the federal seats PKR has requested to contest.
Peto Galim, who is also a Sabah PKR vice chairman, said seat negotiations for the four main PH parties have concluded and their outcome will be announced by the coalition’s chairman, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, on October 28. – The Vibes, October 23, 2022
