BARISAN Nasional’s race-based politics has reached a point where there is the threat that an ethnic group could “perish” if leaders are not re-elected, said Parti Warisan Sabah.

Party deputy president Darell Leiking said he remembered an incident in which a member of a BN component party told a Penampang constituent that the Kadazandusun Murut (KDM) would “perish” if the ruling coalition’s leaders were not re-elected.

The Penampang MP said race, as well as religion, had become more important than qualifications when it came to securing employment in the public sector.

“Some parents don’t need to pay a fortune for their children’s education. Some people only need to use their religion, ethnicity and connections to get hired.

“Look at the civil service in Sabah right now. Umno will push for Muslims to take the lead in the administration.

“The KDM parties, Parti Bersatu Sabah, Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah, United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation (Upko)... they are also helping their own kind.

“They are not picking the best Sabahans for the job,” he said at Warisan’s Bicara Bersama Pemimpin event in Tuaran yesterday.

He said BN used race and religion to keep itself in power, even if it meant turning multiracial Sabahans into racists.

He cited as an example the allegedly derogatory “Parti Suluk” reference used to reduce the KDM community’s support for Warisan.

Leiking said Warisan was a party for all races, and that the reference was used by BN component party Upko.

“Is there anything wrong with the Suluk? They are also Sabahans and an ethnic group in the state.

“I have heard so many times BN leaders saying, ‘the struggle for our race is not over, our work is not finished yet. We must remain united’, and so on. This is absolutely stupid.

“So, as long as we continue to depend on such leaders, their struggle will never come to an end.” – January 15, 2018.