No credibility loss, party veep says of Lajim Ukin

Parti Harapan Rakyat Sabah VP denies rumours of challenge to Lajim Ukin's leadership of party, despite his clearing of bankruptcy status.

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KOTA KINABALU: Lajim Ukin’s credibility as a leader remains intact despite his bankruptcy case, according to Parti Harapan Rakyat Sabah vice-president Patrick Sadom.

“All the supreme council members will continue to give our support to Lajim to be re-elected the party president when we have our meeting on Oct 26,” he told FMT.

Lajim had automatically been stripped of his post as party president after he was declared a bankrupt on Sept 14 in accordance with Section 9A of the Societies Act 1966.

However, his bankruptcy status was lifted by the Kota Kinabalu High Court on Wednesday after he paid the full amount of RM185,000 owed to CIMB Bank. by depositing the sum with the insolvency department.

Sadom said the incident was an isolated case and a technical error which had no negative effect on the state opposition party’s image nor on the support from the party’s supreme council, divisions, branches as well as grassroots supporters who have always stood firmly behind Lajim’s leadership.

“I am confident that all the division meetings, set to be held at the end of this month, will propose Lajim to be reinstated as the party’s president in the party’s AGM next month,” he said.

He denied allegations that the incident has left the party in trouble and all activities had been halted.

As the party’s election machinery director, Sadom affirmed that the party’s administration is running as usual with deputy president Maijol Mahap assuming the role of acting president.

Sadom also rubbished suggestions that some opportunistic individuals may use the incident to try and wrestle the president’s post from its founder.

“On the contrary, it seems that the party’s support for Lajim is stronger now than before. We will continue to fight for Sabah’s rights as stipulated under the Malaysia Agreement 1963,” he said.

In the meantime, he urged all parties not to politicise the issue which has now been fully resolved.

Parti Harapan Rakyat is one of four opposition parties that form the local opposition coalition Gabungan Sabah. The other component parties are Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (Star), Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) and Parti Perpaduan Rakyat Sabah (PPRS).