Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Sabah Deputy CM Raymond to join Gerakan

KOTA KINABALU: After nearly nine months in the political wilderness, partyless Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Raymond Tan is set to join low-profile Gerakan, which has never contested in the state.

Tan, the state Infrastructure Development Minister, and Elopura assemblyman Au Kam Wah -- who is also set to join the Barisan Nasional component party -- will give Gerakan two seats in the 60-member state legislative assembly.

“This is a correct decision. Gerakan is a safe house. I will be submitting my application forms at an appropriate time,” he said after Gerakan president Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon announced that the former Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) deputy president and Au would be joining the party.

Tan’s move came amid pressure from some Sabah Barisan component parties for him to quit his Cabinet position, with Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) president Datuk V.K. Liew even saying that it was unethical for him to remain without being a member of any party in the state coalition.

Tan, Au and a group of supporters had rebelled against SAPP president Datuk Yong Teck Lee’s move to pull out from Barisan on Sept 17 last year.

He had first said he planned to form a new party with other breakaway members of SAPP who disagreed with the decision to leave the ruling coalition.

However it could not be immediately ascertained if Chief Minister Datuk Musa Aman will retain him as Deputy Chief Minister to represent the Chinese community in the Cabinet,

The question comes amid speculation that Tan may be retained in the Infrastructure portfolio but that the deputy chief minister post may go to another component party including the LDP and Parti Bersatu Sabah.

Koh told reporters here Tuesday that Tan had the blessings of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and Musa for him to join Gerakan.

“We welcome Tan and Au. We will announce their positions in the party soon,” he added.

Gerakan spread its wings to Sabah in 1996 when the then LDP vice-president Datuk Kong Hong Ming quit the party following a leadership tussle. Kong failed to retain his Cabinet position as Social Services Minister and became a government bacbencher.

Kong subsequently abstained from supporting several government bills in the Assembly and quit Gerakan; the party had since maintained a low political profile in the state.

With Tan’s latest move, the 57 Sabah Barisan elected representatives in the state comprise 32 from Umno, 12 from PBS, six from Upko, three from LDP, two from Gerakan and one each from MCA and PBRS.

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