SANDAKAN: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak today revealed that a former state Barisan Nasional leader had met him to ask to be appointed as Sabah Chief Minister.

Although he did not mention the individual by name, it is strongly believed that Najib was referring to former Umno vice-president Datu Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal.

Shafie left Umno and formed opposition party Parti Warisan, of which he is the president.

Najib took a thinly-veiled jab at the individual, whom he said started his political party based solely on personal ambition.

“He came and asked to become Sabah chief minister; that was his personal ambition. To me, personal ambition should not come before the struggle for the people.

“How can we build a political party based on personal ambition? It cannot be sustained. A party must be established based on a pure struggle that is full of idealism like Umno and Barisan Nasional so we can bring progress to the people,” said Najib at the launch of the Taman Batu Sapi People’s Housing Project (PPR) in Sandakan, today.

The prime minister advised the people of Sandakan not to be fooled by promises made by opposition leaders, whose aim, he said, was to mislead the people.

Najib also noted that, since becoming prime minister, he had visited Sabah and Sarawak more often than a former premier, who had led the country for 22 years.

He is believed to have been referring to Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Najib also reminded the people of the Pan-Borneo Highway project, an initiative of his which is set to improve the lives of many people in Sabah and Sarawak.

“I am here not just for the sake of coming to Sabah but to also champion the needs of the people,” he said.