Upko turns down Murugiah

Upko Secretary-General, Datuk Wilfred Madius Tangau, said the Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department had met with the party last month and discussed if he could be a part of Upko's struggle.

"But (our) Supreme Council decided 'no' and we informed him it was not the right time," he said, Thursday.

"He approached the party last month and even spoke to me. We have some suggestions on how he can contribute to BN through other parties but not Upko...we will grow at our own pace."

Upko is now expanding its presence in the peninsula and have begun admitting Orang Asli as members since they also comprised indigenous people.

It was reported that Murugiah, who is involved in a wrangle with his People's Progressive Party President Datuk M Kayveas, had cast his sights on East Malaysia after a fruitless search for a multi-racial party in the peninsula.

Murugiah had said he had been offered the post of deputy president by a Sabah multi-racial party, and this led to speculation that he was referring to either Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS), Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS) or Liberal Democractic Party (LDP).

Murugiah had also denied that it was PBS, saying, "PBS is not the party I am looking at". When contacted, PBS Information Chief Johnny Mositun confirmed that to the best of his knowledge, Murugiah had not approached the party.

Mositun said it was improbable for anyone to just walk in to a party and be offered a Deputy President's post. "A person aspiring position in the party must go through the normal process of applying first.

"Besides, I do not see a vacancy for any of the three Deputy President posts in PBS," he said. "The party's constitution on the criterion for becoming a members also needs to be looked at."

Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS) President, Tan Sri Joseph Kurup said the party did not approach Murugiah let alone put anything on offer on the table for him to join the party.

"Definitely PBRS did not approach him and no offer whatsoever for him.

"I actually don't know which party he meant. Nevertheless, even if that is true, itu tidak boleh suka-suka (that cannot be done at one's whims and fancy).

"There has to be a clearance from the top leadership and he has to go through the proper channel," he said.

Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) President, Datuk VK Liew also shot down any talk of the party being his.

"I have no idea about this (and) he has not approached the party," he said.

Murugiah claimed that almost 90 per cent of PPP members supported him and that he had to meet their wishes in finding an alternative party that suited them.