Pairin denies secretly backing Keadilan

DAILY EXPRESS NEWS
7/3/07

Tuaran: Deputy Chief Minister and PBS President, Datuk Joseph Pairin Kitingan, has denied any involvement with Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) or telling the KadazanDusun community that joining the opposition will be to their interest.

He was clearing the air on rumours to this effect in the opposition party's election campaign throughout the State.

Saying he has no knowledge of such "masuk kampung" campaigns by the opposition, Pairin said he was also not sure whether any approval was given by police for them (opposition) to do the campaign.

Pairin was met at the closing of Bina Negara Biro Tatanegara Sabah Branch seminar organised by the Prime Minister Department with collaboration from the People Development Leader Unit Kiulu at the community hall in Kiulu here.

Denying the PKR claim that he will be appointed Deputy Prime Minister if the opposition won the next general elections, Pairin said that is actually a gimmick created by the opposition to garner support in the State.

He advised the people not to easily believe the opposition. He also chided the opposition for spreading such baseless claims for their political interest. The seminar was attended by 200 people comprising village heads, native chiefs and village development and security committee (JKKK) chairmen in Kiulu constituency. Also present are Assistant Youth and Sport Minister, Jahid Jahim, Kiulu Assemblyman, Datuk Louis Rampas, Tuaran MP Datuk Wilfred Madius Tangau and Biro Tatanegara Sabah Director Ibrahim Saad.