TENOM: Datuk Rubin Balang today denied any involvement over his son's decision to contest as an independent in the 15th General Election (GE15).
The Tenom Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) coordination and Tenom Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) division chief is the father of Riduan Rubin, who is contesting in Tenom parliamentary seat in the Nov 19 election.
Rubin, who is also the Kemabong assemblyman, said it was his son's own decision to contest as independent in the election.
He also implied that Parti Kesejahteraan Demokratik Masyarakat (KDM) president Datuk Peter Anthony was responsible for his son's candidacy in the polls.
He said Anthony on Nov 11 had asked Riduan to become KDM member to prevent action being taken against him according to the Anti-Hopping Law.
"I understand that after Riduan and his supporters agreed to the offer, Peter (Anthony) had contacted me and asked me to come to the KDM party office.
"They had asked if I objected to Riduan joining KDM. I informed them that I have neither the power nor right to object or do anything, since Riduan is no longer a Bersatu member.
"After that short meeting, I went straight out and left the KDM office," he said in a statement to comment on allegations that he had violated the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS)-Barisan Nasional (BN) agreement in the GE15.
Prior to the nomination, GRS-BN had agreed to have only one candidate from its nine-party component to contest in one parliamentary seat.
Rubin added that he was disappointed with Sabah BN chairman Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin who called for action to be taken against him.
He was referring to remarks made by Bung, that Rubin had given his support and assisted his son's campaign in Tenom.
Rubin added that in the 2020 state election, he had contested and won the Kemabong seat as an independent.
"After winning as an independent assemblyman, myself and fellow independent assemblymen Datuk Masiung Banah and Datuk Ruddy Awah were invited to jointly help establish a State Government between GRS and BN.
As a result of that consensus, the GRS state government was formed where its people got important positions, including Bung who was appointed as Deputy Chief Minister and Public Works Minister of Sabah.
"Now after the GRS-BN State Government ruled for more than two years, I was about to be kicked out by them only because the BN candidate for Tenom, Jamawi Jaafar, is not happy.
"Bung should also realise that it is unfair to ban any party who is qualified and interested to contest in the GE15, because this is a democratic country.
"I hope that you who are mature in politics will not be easily influenced by baseless reports by Jamawi who deliberately wants to damage my good name," he said.
