Kuala Penyu assemblyman Datuk Limus Jury has denied leaving his party to join Perikatan Nasional (PN) due to multi-million-ringgit business interests.
This came after Warisan information chief Yusof Yacob alleged that both Limus and Sugut state assemblyperson James Ratib left Upko due to multi-million contracts awarded by the federal government.
In particular, Yusof linked Limus to Perwira Progresif Sdn Bhd which was awarded a RM385 million Pan Borneo Highway construction contract.
“I do not deny my link with Perwira Progresif, the company that I founded and worked in before I was elected as the people’s representative,” said Limus in a statement today.
Limus, who was United Progressive Kinabalu Organisation (Upko) vice-president, said he quit the party, a component of the Warisan plus state government, along with Ratib, to be independent elected representatives to support the federal government.
“My company Perwira Progresif was my own even before I became an assemblyman. I was a qualified contender with a record and capacity to successfully carry out projects we were given. That’s why we and tens of other companies joined the tender bid for the Sabah Pan Borneo Highway project and were given part of the package from Inanam to Sepanggar,” he said.
“We are not an ‘Ali Baba’ company that subcontracts our projects out to others. It is baseless and prejudiced to say that the project was why I left Upko,” he said.
“Ali Baba” is the term used to describe bumiputera companies that pass their contracts to other contractors upon receiving these projects.
“I’d like to ask Yusof, what Warisan and Sabah Pakatan Harapan (PH) leader and minister hasn’t lobbied for a project? Some of them have met with me just to discuss projects,” Limus said.
“Upko president Datuk Wilfred Madius Tangau is a hypocrite and a selfish leader. He is too busy trying to please the chief minister to the point where he disregards the Upko assemblymen and other leaders,” he added.
“It should be noted that throughout my years as a senior Upko leader and assemblyman, I have never been given a politically-appointed position in the government of a government linked company. Most of the positions were monopolised by Warisan leaders.
“Even without it, I still did what I could and gave my best to the people with what I could,” he said.
He also emphasised that he was not defecting to another party but merely leaving Upko to become an independent assemblyman.
Limus, a two-term assemblyman, was speculated to be leaving the Warisan plus government when he failed to show up at a solidarity luncheon hosted by Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal. He was said to have told Tangau that he was in Kuala Lumpur, but later told a reporter from The Star he did not attend because he was not feeling well.
In his statement Yusof, who is state education and innovation minister, said Limus and Ratib’s allegiance had always been in question ever since federal power switched from PH to PN.
“Their names went around in social media as two elected representatives who would probably leave the party.
“As such, their decision to leave Upko and not support the Sabah government is not something surprising but we respect their decision,” he said.
He also said that their claim about relations with the federal government did not hold water as Shafie had always said he intended to work with the PN administration on government matters.