SAPP members from Kawang joining Gerakan baseless

Kota Kinabalu, June 29, 2010: Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) Kawang CLC Chairman, Edward Dagul, said the report in the local newspapers on Sunday 27th June 2010 that 350 former SAPP members from the Kawang area had joined Gerakan is baseless.

"Parti Gerakan has resorted to the tactic of recycling membership applications to make itself appear relevant to the people of Sabah . If similar reports and photos published since 2009 are to be believed, apparently, this motley crew must have joined Gerakan not less than three times, hence the term, recycle membership.

"In September 2008, when Datuk Raymond Tan refused to continue with SAPP's struggle for the people, he also made a false claim that some 2,000 members in Sandakan followed him.

"SAPP office did not receive official resignations of the 2,000 members as claimed by Datuk Raymond Tan. Similarly, nor had we received any resignations on the recent event in Kinarut, as claimed by Datuk Raymond Tan that 350 had joined Gerakan.

"The new membership ceremony must have been staged to rebut remarks recently made by Datuk Ghapur Salleh and trying at the same time to tell UMNO that Gerakan has the support of the people, eventhough it does not.

"This kind of tactic of recycled news and membership applications that has probably led Datuk Ghapur to believe that thousands of members are indeed being enticed from UMNO to join Gerakan in Tawau.

"This desperate act is seen to be typical of some BN leaders. Instead of focusing on solving the perennial problems of the State, much time, effort and not to mention resources are wasted on petty BN squabbles and seat grabbing at the expense of the people.