We could have contested more seats - SAPP

It's been raining whole evening but there seems to be a crowd in the middle of Kepayan Commercial Centre.

"If we knew the disarray within Pakatan would be so crippling, we would have made preparations to contest more seats."

The voice of a spectacled middle-aged man on the stage with distinctive side-burns blasted on the speakers. He somewhat reminded me of Elvis Prestley.

I checked with the reporter standing next to me under the tents and asked "did he just say that DAP, PKR, PAS should not contest in Sabah?"

She smiled back "Yes."

The crowd in light yellow shirts carrying the Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) logo of not more than 500 people cheered as their president who was still on the stage went on to announce the party's candidacy for general election in Sabah.

Among them, 38 candidates for state seats and 8 parliamentary seats.

However I was told that SAPP wished to contest in 41 state seats.

"The remaining 3 seats will be announced very soon pending on a firm and clear picture of what STAR and other opposition parties plan to do."

The infighting of Pakatan is nothing new, but what does the local oppositions here feel about the fellow comrades?

"Congrats Datuk Yong!"

As our camera is on standby for a short interview, supporters came to shake the president, Yong Teck Lee's hands.

"We did not expect that the infighting between PKR/PAS/DAP to be so intensely divisive to the extend the chances of the opposition in capturing the state seats concerned is now jeopardized," said Yong who will also be defending his state seat in Likas.

"So Datuk are you disappointed?" I asked.

"Yes we are disappointed. Initially we plan to field our candidates in more than 40 seats, now it's too late as we might not have enough time," he said referring the what could have been more seated contested by SAPP to secure more wins for opposition.

SAPP used to be under Barisan Nasional (BN) until they decided to pull out after the 2008 elections.

Currently out of 60 state seats in Sabah, PKR announced will contest in 43 seats, meanwhile DAP in 8 seats, PAS in 9 seats.

In parliament seats, out of 25, PKR will contest in 19 seats. Comrades from DAP in 4 seats and PAS, 2 seats.

Earlier SAPP lined up its candidates to contest in 38 states and 8 parliamentary seats. Do the math, surely there would be overlaps of seats between SAPP and those of Pakatan Rakyat seats.

These calculation has not included candidates from another local opposition party, STAR led by Datuk Jeffrey Kitingan who is expected to make the announcements today.

"Will we see more disarray in Pakatan Rakyat or between themselves and the local opposition parties?" I thought to myself while writing this piece in the car while traveling to Sandakan.

"Sabah is for Sabahan. Why would PKR, DAP, PAS want to contest here?" the man with the side-burn's voice echoed as I replayed camera footages of Yong last night on stage.

I guess that answered my question.