(From Right) Sabah Pakatan Youth chief Felix Joseph Saang, Sabah Dapsy chief Vivian Wong, Sabah Amanah Youth chief Salleh Jatil and Upko information chief Dr Peter Jr Naintin.
KOTA KINABALU: Datuk Ewon Benedick's selection as Sabah Pakatan chairman was conducted in accordance with the coalition’s constitution, says Sabah Pakatan Youth leaders.
Sabah Pakatan Youth chief Felix Joseph Saang, Sabah Dapsy head Vivian Wong, and Sabah Amanah Youth chief Salleh Jatil said, in a joint statement Saturday (Dec 21), that they fully supported Upko president Ewon as the new Sabah Pakatan chairman.
They said they were confident in the maturity of the component parties and their commitment to fostering strong cooperation to ensure the coalition remains relevant to the people.
The youth wing also urged all component parties to prioritise strengthening their election machinery ahead of the 17th Sabah state election and to set aside issues concerning the state coalition’s chairmanship.
They added that previous appointments of the chairman were also made democratically, with the consensus of all component parties.
“The Pakatan constitution must be understood and embraced to effectively address more pressing issues in Sabah,” they said, urging component parties to strengthen their preparations for the election.
“Respecting component parties is essential to maintaining harmony, as Sabah Pakatan’s strength stems from long-standing political cooperation.
"Maturity in decision-making and nurturing strong cooperation will ensure Sabah Pakatan remains relevant in the eyes of the people,” they said.
Their remarks followed recent comments from Datuk Seri Christina Liew, who lost the chairmanship to Ewon by three votes in the coalitions polls on Dec 1.
Liew, the Api-Api PKR chief, hinted at a possible leadership reshuffle, stating that “the matter is still in the process” and that the appointment of the state coalition chief was ultimately at the discretion of Pakatan chairman Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
There were also reports of dissatisfaction among PKR members, who believed the chairmanship should remain with their party.
Meanwhile, Upko information chief Dr Peter Jr Naintin clarified that in the Dec 1 AGM, a total of 24 representatives from the four Sabah Pakatan coalition members, six from each party - Upko, DAP, Amanah and PKR - all agreed to proceed with the voting process.
He said the voting was monitored by a representative from the Pakatan secretariat in Putrajaya, resulting in Ewon being elected as chairman.
"Discussions were conducted with mutual understanding and agreement among all representatives present, and the voting process adhered to the Sabah Pakatan constitution.
"The decision to elect him (Ewon) as chairman was unanimously agreed upon by all attendees," said Naintin.
He noted that they are an independent entity with the authority to make decisions autonomously.
“The voting process was fair, transparent, and constitutional," he said.
Responding to criticism from certain quarters within the coalition, Naintin argued that it was contradictory for those involved in the process to now question the decision that had been collectively agreed upon.
"During the meeting, all parties consented to the process and participated in the vote. There is no basis for anyone to object now," he added.
He urged all coalition members to respect the democratic process and focus on unity ahead of the upcoming Sabah state election.
"Since Sabah Pakatan is now officially registered, any official statements from Sabah Pakatan must be made collectively, reflecting the views of all coalition parties. This is the time to move forward and work together as a team," he said.
