Elections = Fruits Session

Nomination day is Sunday (Feb 24) and polling is on March 8. Since the dissolution of Parliament and State Assemblies, we are presented with lots of political leisure reading in the various newspapers.

In Sabah, suddenly several political groups emerged and as of today almost all the political parties that had hibernated after the March 21, 2004 elections woke up and are telling the people of Sabah that, like other parties, they are ready for the polls.

As of today, we have former Finance Minister in the Barjaya Government Datuk Haji Mohd Noor Mansoor, after resigning for Bersekutu, announcing that he will be spearheading an Independent Front (IF) contesting in about 40 seats. IF candidates will be contesting as Independent but using a common manifesto.

Another one is PBS Baru, an alliance of three opposition parties Pasok, Bersekutu and Setia headed by Datuk Pengiran Othman Rauf, a former Federal Territory Minister.

As being in past elections, Sabah has always been a place where politics is a fanfare and the coming polls will be not exception.

It will also be interesting to note whether Pasok and Setia candidates will make to the ballot papers. These two parties are currently facing leadership problems. Both parties has to presidents, two set of Supreme Council and two headquarters.

Richard Jayasuria and Cleftus Mojingol both claimed to be Pasok president while Pangiran Othman and Henry Sabanding are telling the people that they are Setia president, respectively.

In the case of Pasok, both presidents are awaiting confirmation from the Registrar of Societies as to who is the party' legitimate leader. More of this political scenario will emerge as polling drew nearer.

My Say:

I must say that elections is akin to fruits session during which fruits which we seldom see in the markets are making their appearance.

On political parties, memory of a colourful veteran politician from Tambunan still linger in my mind when he formed a party and sent it for registration but until he passed away, the party was never registered. The name of the party was Parti Mangsa Mangsa Barisan Nasional.