Leaders from the Opposition are joining Upko because its chief Bernard Dompok has addressed a lot of the issues that has been bothering Malaysians in Sabah .
PENAMPANG: Like some married couples who succumbed to the 'seven-year itch', Sabah DAP leader Edward Mujie too decided to change partner after standing with his party, DAP, for the last seven years.
On Thursday, he followed the footsteps of his former party colleague Steven Jimbangan to quit the party to join Barisan Nasional (BN) through United Pasokmomogun KadazanDusun Murut Organization (Upko).
Mujie who was Sabah DAP vice chairman cum Karambunai branch chief handed over his membership application form to Upko President Bernard Dompok in Kampung Putaton, here.
His exit from DAP comes barely a week after the party's Kepayan chief Stephen Jimbangan and 128 of his supporters quit the party to join Upko.
Like Jimbangan, Mujie too said his 'change of heart' was because he was both touched and impressed by the on-going efforts by Upko, PBRS and PBS to unite the KDM community through 'Gelombang Tataba', a joint programme the three KDM based BN component parties have initiated and launched last month.
A hardcore critic of the ruling coalition before this, he stressed that his move had nothing to do with not being nominated as a candidate for the 13th general election.
The former secretary of the Kota Kinabalu Municipal Council (KKMC), Mujie earned his nickname 'The Point Man' for constantly pointing at bad roads, blogged drains, faulty lamp posts, manholes with missing covers, abandoned government buildings, etc.
"I started considering making the move soon after reading and hearing about 'Gelombang Tataba'. I made up my mind voluntarily … no one coerced me into this decision because I look at this positively, for KDM community's sake," he said when asked how long it took him to decide to quit DAP and join Upko.
Asked if his supporters would follow join BN too, Mujie reluctantly replied, "wait-and-see".
In a prepared statement distributed to the media, Mujie noted that he was accepted into DAP in 2007 and that he leaves it to the people to judge his track record as far as his service to the community is concerned all those years.
"Having considered all factors plus the current scenario, I have decided to relinquish all my posts in Sabah DAP and resign from the party with immediate effect. I wish all my former comrades the very best and good luck.
"I thank God for making me realise that the unity of the indigenous people is the most sensible thing to do now that the KDM unity is in disarray. I therefore would like to throw my full undivided support in the effort to unite the KDMs through 'Gelombang Tataba'.
"With that I have decided to join Upko, led by (Tan Sri) Bernard, as my platform to assist the accomplishment of the unity mission," he said.
Mujie added that he found that Upko is sincere in fighting for the rights of Sabahans especially the KDMs.
"Upko is very vocal on all issues affecting the rakyat as well as in finding solutions to the illegal immigrant problem in Sabah where the Prime Minister (Datuk Seri) Najib Tun Razak has finally agreed to set up the Royal Commission of Inquiry which is on-going now.
"The proposal for the re-issuance of MyKad which is mooted by Upko is a daring move and deserves full support from all political parties and the rakyat," he said.
"I admire (Datuk Seri) Najib's courage in introducing new positive transformation in the country such as repealing the Internal Security Act (ISA), by recognizing Malaysia Day, implementing the GTP and ETP, his swift actions durng the Lahad Datu intrusion etc.
"(Datuk Seri) Najib among others has also successfully implemented non-quota to the Holy Land, therefore it is only fair for all the rakyat in Sabah especially to give their undivided support to (Datuk Seri) Najib to achieve the required mandate so that he could effectively implement his sincere agendas in developing the country for the benefit of the rakyat" he said.
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