Media statement by Teresa Kok Suh Sim in Shah Alam on Monday, 28^th March 2011:

LDP should quit being in coalition with UMNO which has displayed utter disregard and contempt for LDP by unilaterally changing the Deputy Chief Minister of Sabah

Sabah Chief Minister and UMNO Sabah Chairman Datuk Seri Panglima Musa Haji Aman's unilateral decision to change the Deputy Chief Minister of Sabah without consulting the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) makes plain the disregard and contempt that UMNO has for fellow Barisan Nasional component parties.

Musa Aman has created a situation whereby both Deputy Chief Ministers are from the same party, i.e. Parti Bersatu Sabah and the Chief Minister is of course from UMNO. This shows how unequal the relationship is within BN Sabah when it consists of six component parties, not two.

As in Peninsula Malaysia, UMNO is the overwhelmingly dominant BN component party in Sabah. UMNO Sabah dictates all manners of policy in their coalition without consulting other BN component parties. UMNO behaves like a "Big Brother" with impunity while other BN component parties are effectively marginalised and depend on the mercy of UMNO to hold any position in the state government at all.

The callous manner in which Sandakan UMNO Youth Chief Haji Awang Kadin Tang dismissed and belittled LDP's complaint of this matter is testimony to that fact. He is reported to have said that, "LDP makes the most noise, incessantly barking and whining that they deserve this and that."

Thus, I suggest to LDP that it's time that they gather the self-respect to sever ties with UMNO and quit BN once and for all, as Sabah Progressive Party did in September 2008. Tell UMNO that enough is enough and LDP is not going to take it anymore.

* Teresa Kok Suh Sim, DAP National Organizing Secretary, Selangor State Senior EXCO for Investment, Industry & Trade & MP for Seputeh