KENINGAU:
Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Joseph Pairin Kitingan has described the big number of ‘instant politicians’ emerging during election time as normal in a country like Malaysia which practises democracy. He said the country provides ample space and freedom for the people in voicing out their opinions and views. Pairin, who is defending the Keningau parliamentary and Tambunan state seats under the l3arisan Nasional (BN) ticket, said this during a meet-the-people gathering at Kampung Mottow near here yesterday. Also present were BN candidate for Liawan state seat Datuk Sairin Karno, MCA Keningau division head Peter Ma, and the Village Development and Security Committee Chairman Steven Klaus. The Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) president is involved in a three- cornered fight for the Keningau seat with his younger brother Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan, who is Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) vice president and independent Peter Kodou @ Peter Anthony. For the Tambunan seat, Pairin who has represented the constituency since 1976 is challenged by lawyer Moses @ Mozes Iking and former People Development Leader Koh Kui Tze @ Francis Koh Lui Tze. Pairin lamented that certain quarters abused the freedom as provided for under the laws by holding violent street demonstrations which were against the Malaysian way of life and culture. “This shows that these group of people have no love for peace and harmony,” he said. As such, Pairin expressed his confidence that the people would continue supporting the BN in the March 8 general election and would not be easily influenced by the opposition’s empty promises and baseless allegations levelled against the BN. “It is still not to late for this small group of individuals who are in the opposition to return to the BN folds because the doors are always opened to them,” he added.
