What Ghapur said is true – LDP

KOTA KINABALU: Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has cautioned fellow Barisan Nasional (BN) component partners that the fundamental weakness in Gerakan will affect the ruling coalition’s chance in the coming general election.

Its publicity chief, Albert Kok, said it is widely accepted as fact that Gerakan had not recovered from the last general election in 2008 when the party lost heavily, including in its own soil in Penang.

“Replicating this is highly risky and are great agendas to be put forth by the opposition,” he said yesterday when commenting on a recent statement made by Kalabakan member of parliament Datuk Abdul Ghapur Salleh that Gerakan should not contest in Sabah in the coming general election because Gerakan has no winnable candidate and is not a winnable party.

Kok said BN component parties could not discount what Ghapur had said in Parliament a few days ago as there was truth in the latter’s statement.

“We must face the truth no matter how bitter it is. We have to take the bull by the horn and deal with the situation responsibly.

“Whilst it is important for BN to have a winnable candidate, it is equally vital that the winnable candidate must stand under a political party that is winnable to the mind, soul and heart of the people,” he added.

During the debate in Parliament on the Budget, Ghapur had urged Prime Minister Datuk Sri Najib Tun Razak, who is also the BN chairman, not to field Gerakan to contest in Sabah in the coming general election.

“It will be a crying shame if we do that. Gerakan has been uprooted in their home soil in Penang and it will have no relevancy and impact in Sabah. It will be further uprooted in Sabah as the voters, especially the Chinese, despise and do not welcome Gerakan in Sabah,” he said.

“PM talks about winnable candidate. We must also remember we must have a winnable," he said. 21 Oktober 2011.