LDP link plot to oust Musa Aman

Sabah Umno deputy chief Datuk Salleh Tun Said disclosed that certain leaders of Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) are in cohoots with certain quarters to topple Sabah Barisan Nasional chairman cum Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Haji Aman.

He warned that Sabah BN would not be intimidated by any attempt to hold the coalition at ransom by mounting a veiled threat on its Chairman-cum-Chief Minister.

"We are prepared to face the worst challenge," he said in a statement in ota Kinabalu on Saturday.

Salleh, a former Chief Minister, also questioned the rationale behind LDP Deputy President Datuk Chin Su Phin's outrage on Tuesday, claiming that it was part of an ongoing plot to oust Musa.

He was also convinced that there were "hidden hands" behind it.
"We believe there are people behind it and we know what they are up to, but we in Sabah BN will not allow them to achieve their selfish agenda by mounting a personal attack on Musa.

"I have reliably learnt that certain LDP leaders are in cahoots with certain quarters to topple Musa, and that they even plan to request Prime Minister-cum-BN Chairman Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to have Musa removed," he said.

However, Salleh believed not all LDP leaders concurred with Chin's statement that LDP could no longer work with Musa.

In a shocking announcement, Chin was quoted as saying that the party could no longer work with Musa but would continue to support and work together with Umno in the ruling coalition, and expressed full support for the Prime Minister and his 1Malaysia vision.

"We believe the majority of LDP leaders are rational and wise enough to differentiate what is right and what is not, especially when the issues raised by Chin concerned other people's personal interest.

"It would be a different case if the issues raised were of public interest," Salleh said.

As such, he advised LDP leaders not to be easily manipulated by others for their selfish agenda. Salleh is also confident that all other State BN component parties will continue to rally behind Musa, saying the latter had proven his leadership in steering the State since he became Chief Minister in 2003.

My Say:

Coming from a respected leader, what Salleh said could be true and he is fully aware of who are the `certain quarters' working hand-in-hand with the LDP leaders. Sooner of latter, this all will be made public knowlegde.

It will be no surprise if this `certain quarters' turned out to be `certain Sabah Umno leaders'.

SABAH BN's new line-up

Sabah Barisan Nasional has revamped its state coordinating committees whose tour of duty is until May 15, 2011.

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman, who is also the State BN Coordinating Chairman, said Kota Belud Member of Parliament (MP) Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan had been appointed as State BN secretary in place of Bongawan State Assemblyman Datuk Karim Bujang.

Musa also announced the appointment of Tawau Umno vice-head Niezam Abu Bakar Titingan as the State BN executive secretary in place of former Bugaya State Assemblyman Datuk Basalie Abdul Hamid.

"I wish to thank Datuk Karim and Datuk Basalie who had made significant contributions when they were holding office in the State BN," he told reporters after the presentation of letters of appointment to the members of the new committee, here Thursday. This story from HERE

Earlier, Musa chaired a special meeting of the State BN Coordinating Committee.

Musa also announced a revamp of the divisional BN coordinating chairman following the withdrawal of the Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) from the BN.

Ten new faces received the appointment letters, including State Minister of Resource and Information Technology Development Datuk Dr Yee Moh Chai for the Kota Kinabalu division in place of SAPP president Datuk Yong Teck Lee, Sepanggar Umno head Jumat Idris for the Sepanggar division in place of the Sepanggar MP Datuk Eric Majimbun, who is also SAPP deputy president, and Kemabong Assemblyman Datuk Rubin Balang for the Tenom division in place of State Deputy Speaker Datuk Frankie Chong, who is also SAPP vice-president.

Meanwhile, the Kudat division is chaired by the State Assistant Minister for Tourism, Culture and Environment Datuk Bolkiah Ismail, replacing former Pitas Assemblyman Datuk Masrani Parman. Beluran Umno head James Ratib is chairman of the Beluran BN, replacing former Sugut Assemblyman Datuk Surady Kayong, and Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister's Department Datuk Nasrun Datu Mansur replaces former Silam MP Datuk Samsu Baharun as the Silam BN chairman.

Also appointed are the Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk VK Liew for Sandakan BN, replacing the division's Umno head Tan Sri Ampong Puyung, State Umno deputy chairman Datuk Mohd Salleh Tun Said for the Kota Belud division in place of State Assistant Minister for Agriculture and Food Industry Datuk Musbah Jamli.

State Rural Development Minister Datuk Dr Ewon Ebin for the Ranau division in place of State Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment Datuk Masidi Manjun, and Sekong Assemblyman Datuk Shamsuddin Yahya for the Sandakan division in place of Batu Sapi Assemblyman Datuk Edmund Chung.

Ex-CM Salleh makes a comback

Line clear for Salleh back into the system

As published HERE today

KOTA KINABALU: Former Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Salleh Tun Said is slowly being eased back into the centre of state politics.
Salleh, who lost favour with Chief Minister Datuk Musa Aman and was dropped as a BN candidate in the last election, was today given the influential post of Kota Belud BN division chief.
Salleh was earlier this year appointed as Science and Technology Adviser to the Chief Minister, a post with Cabinet rank.
Announcing a new line-up of state BN chairmen after chairing a special state BN meeting, Musa said Kota Belud MP Rahman Dahlan would replace long-serving secretary Datuk Karim Bujang, the Bongowan assemblyman.
The coalition sees 10 new faces to be among the 25 division chairmen. Incidentally, it was Rahman who replaced Salleh as a candidate for the Kota Belud parliamentary seat.
The new line-up also sees replacement for three BN division chief posts formerly held by Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP), which left the coalition in September 2008.
Kota Kinabalu division was taken over by Parti Bersatu Sabah deputy president Datuk Dr Yee Moh Chai, Umno's Datuk Rubin Balang took over Tenom while Jumat Idris, also of Umno, took over as head of the Sepanggar division.
Also among the new faces are United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation (Upko) president Tan Sri Bernard Dompok is now the Penampang division chairman while Liberal Democratic Party president Datuk V K Liew will chair the coalition's Sandakan division.
Musa, who presented the letters of appointment from Barisan chairman, Prime Minsietr Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, said that all component parties at division level have been asked to submit the number of members at their branch levels.
He said that all Barisan division chairmen were also directed to coordinate activities with component parties as well as conduct activities to help solve people's problems in their respective areas.
"They have to strengthen the Barisan and prepare for the next general election," he told reporters.
He said an earlier meeting with eight member Sabah Barisan leaders was to discuss matters regarding party representation at local councils and also issues related to land.
"We were looking at ways to see how best to get parties to have their representatives in local councils," he said.Najib's people
Political insiders say Salleh's sudden return to the centre of Sabah politics is an interesting development.
"It appears that most of those elevated or retained are Najib's people. If that is the case, then Musa is losing his grip," said a source.
The return of Salleh also points to attempts to heal wounds that opened in United Sabah Bajau Organisation (USBO) after stalwarts, Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia and Datuk Datu Amir Kahar, the son of late Tun Mustapha Datu Harun, were not included in the list of BN candidates in the last election.
Salleh is the son of the late Tun Muhammad Said Keruak, a former chief minister himself and Sabah's seventh governor and founder member of the United Sabah National Organisation (USNO), the political party formed by his close friend, the late Tun Datu Mustapha Datu Harun.