“This is all about the political development in regards to [the public declaration] that they can no longer work with the chief minister of Sabah who is also the Barisan Nasional chairman. The only thing left is to gracefully quit the party,” Pang, who is also Karamunting assemblyman, said in a statement.
“I understand my departure from LDP may reset my position in the government, what I will certainly do is to offer to step down from it and shall continue to serve under Sabah Barisan Nasional chairman, YAB Datuk Seri Panglima Musa Hj Aman’s leadership,” he added.
In an immediate reaction, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak revealed that Pang was likely headed for fellow BN component party, Gerakan.
Pang’s resignation letter sent off this morning was addressed to LDP president, Datuk Liew Vui Keong, who is also a minister in the Prime Minister’s Department.
Pang chose to break away from his party after the LDP, which is a component of the ruling BN, openly declared it had lost confidence in Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman.
The LDP is the second political party to have rebelled against Musa after the Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP), which pulled out of the BN last year.
Pang's resignation from LDP appears to be a band-aid solution and reflects the shaky support of the Chinese in Sabah for BN in a situation which could mirror what is happening in Sarawak.
LDP’s ties with Musa have been strained for several years now, starting with the row over the halted Mazu (Goddess of the Sea) statue project in Kudat.
Its deputy president, Chin Su Phin, was also recently dropped from the state government.
The LDP was originally founded in Tawau by Hiew Min Kong in 1989 and reached its political peak when then party president Chong Kah Kiat became the 13th chief minister of Sabah under the rotation system introduced by then prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed in 2001.
Chong kept the seat for two years before the post went back to Umno, which appointed Musa as its chief minister.
Sabah no longer practises the rotation system.
