Akjan: I never said anything about Bersatu entering Sabah
Published on: Tuesday, January 22, 2019
By: Leonard Alaza
KOTA KINABALU: Datu Muhammad Akjan Datu Ali Muhammad (pic) said he only announced the 22 Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) divisions in Sabah but never said anything about the peninsula-based party having already entered the State.
The Pertubuhan Kebajikan Dakwah Islamiah Sabah (Perkida) Chairman insisted it is the right of any life member of the party to recruit members and to sponsor party divisions.
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He said there are some 40 life members in Sabah to date.
“I take the liberty to recruit members because firstly, the people wanted to join the party of their choice and that is Bersatu. And secondly, the Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who is the Chairman of the party, had said that the people in the State could join. We are only doing what he has allowed us to do.
“Now that we have sponsored 22 divisions, I believe it’s my right as a party member to announce this to the public. But I’ve never said anything about the party having entered Sabah already,” he said.
He admitted having received no official instruction from any party official to recruit members in the State but insisted that as a life member himself he had the right to do so because “it’s the wish of the people and they have the right to choose.”
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He was responding to Bersatu chief strategist Rais Hussin who was reported by an online news portal as saying that Akjan’s announcement was premature and refuted his claim that the party had already entered Sabah and established 22 divisions in the State.
Rais insisted he was in charge of membership and denied ever handed out forms. He claimed that he did not know how Perkida got their hands on the forms.
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But according to Akjan, no forms are needed for membership registration.
“I know he (Rais) is the party’s coordinator for Sabah. But I wish to point out that party membership registration can be done online. No forms are needed,” he said.
He said the only piece of paper issued to members in the registration process is a letter of approval of their membership from the party Secretary-General attached with their membership card.
He said despite Rais’ statement, Perkida will not stop recruiting members.
“As I’ve always said, we do this because there are people in the State who are attracted to the party and want to join.
How can we deny them this right?” he asked.
He agreed with Rais that only the party chairman or President Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin have the authority to make important announcements but insisted, however, that as a life member, he too has the right to speak concerning the status of party membership in Sabah.
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