PAPAR: Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) candidate Tan Sri Anifah Aman (
pic) has claimed that Barisan Nasional (BN) Bongawan candidate and Kimanis MP Datuk Mohamad Alamin of lacking firmness and merely acting as a “puppet” for his party superiors.
He said Mohamad’s weak leadership would disadvantage the people of Bongawan and hinder the delivery of meaningful development the constituency urgently needs.
According to him, once a leader becomes a “puppet,” any plans for progress must first be approved by party higher-ups, which he claimed is what has been happening in the Kimanis parliamentary constituency.
“That is why development in Kimanis has been limited to small-scale projects and minor upgrades to basic infrastructure, which do not even cover all the villages, especially around Bongawan town,” he said in a statement on Friday.
He said Mohamad and his supporters continued to showcase a list of small projects despite Mohamad being both the Kimanis MP and Deputy Foreign Minister, positions that should allow him to bring in strategic, high-impact programmes.
“Even in this PRN17 campaign, it is clear that Mohamad is heavily reliant on central party leaders to run his campaign, further proving that he is a ‘puppet’ of the central leadership,” he said.
He cited the presence of Umno President and BN Chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi at a BN Kimanis event as evidence of Mohamad’s dependence.
Anifah, a former Kimanis MP, questioned why the small projects and minor upgrades did not include nearby villages, particularly those closer to Bongawan town.
“Is it because Mohamad lost in many of the District Polling Centres in those areas during the last election, and if so, is he being ‘vindictive’?” he asked.
He also criticised Mohamad’s previous manifesto, or “effort” as Mohamad called it, saying it amounted to nothing more than repeated sweet promises.
He said Mohamad’s use of the word “ikhtiar” reflected uncertainty and a lack of strong commitment to fulfil his pledges.
“I am disappointed that the previous election promises, packaged as ‘efforts,’ have not produced any significant change, as the term itself shows a lack of commitment on Mohamad’s part,” he said.
He added that Mohamad appeared to follow the instructions of his “bosses” in everything, even for small matters concerning the constituency.
“Such leadership brings no benefit and offers no future because he prioritises the directives of the central leadership over the voices of Sabahans,” he said.
He warned that Bongawan would continue to fall behind if voters chose a leader he described as “soft” and lacking the courage to make independent decisions.
Anifah, who once served as Foreign Minister, said excessive dependence on central leaders prevents Sabah representatives from speaking boldly on issues concerning Sabah’s rights.
He said this situation would leave Bongawan stuck in a low-development zone, unable to keep pace with more assertive districts.
Therefore, he said, Bongawan needs a representative who is firm and courageous enough to “go against the tide” of central leadership.
“Besides fighting for MA63 when I was Kimanis MP and Foreign Minister — which even earned me a show-cause letter — I also left Umno because I realised the party could not deliver on our rights,” he said.
“On that basis, allow me to fulfil the responsibility and prove that I can bring change to Bongawan,” he added.
