PBS should realise that UPKO leaving UMNO-BN is not a betrayal but a sacrifice - UPKO Youth

3 July 2022

By Wartawan Nabalu News

KOTA KINABALU: United Progressive Kinabalu Organisation (UPKO) Youth chief Felix Joseph Saang said the time has come for Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) to stop slandering UPKO and deceiving the people.

He said this because PBS had repeatedly accused UPKO of being a traitor after the latter decided to leave Barisan Nasional (BN).

“UPKO would like to ask if PBS wants to admit that they were the bigger traitors for leaving BN. It’s clear that all those accusations by PBS were just lies and slander.

“When UPKO left BN after the 2018 General Election (GE), PBS accused UPKO of being a traitor. Today, the Sabah Umno Liaison Chief has revealed that PBS had actually betrayed BN numerous times.

"We hope PBS will realise this and look at themselves in the mirror. They need to assess themselves and stop slandering UPKO,” he said after attending a peaceful protest, here at Gaya Street Sunday Market today.

According to Felix, if PBS was sincere, they would leave the government that is backed by Umno-BN, stop the political drama, and quit vacillating.

“They claim to fight in the frontline when in fact they are still hiding behind Umno-BN to defend their ranks and positions.

“Based on the recent statement by PBS President Datuk Dr. Maximus Ongkili, they were aware of what the ‘BN component party’ had done but they seemed to have allowed the act to this day just to maintain power.

"When UPKO left BN, that was UPKO's bold move to stop the evil acts of the ‘BN component party’ but PBS was among the parties that chose to revive BN,” said Felix.

“We would be happy if PBS would finally realise that UPKO’s decision to leave UMNO-BN was not a betrayal but a sacrifice to ensure that the sovereignty and interests of Sabah are safeguarded and protected, "said Felix.

On Thursday, Maximus claimed that a ‘BN component party’ had abused illegal immigrants in Sabah for their political interests.