PARTI Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) is staging a political comeback in Sabah under the banner “Make Sabah Great” as it gears up for the upcoming state election.
Its deputy president Datuk Hamzah Zainuddin said the party is determined to prove “doubters” wrong after many declared the party dead following the mass exodus of its state leaders several years ago.
Hamzah referred to the exodus of former Bersatu state chief Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor and several others in November 2022.
The group later became direct members of Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) and later took over Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah to be part of the ruling parties in the state.
“We’ve been quietly restructuring our divisions across Sabah, and today we’ve shown that Bersatu is still here.
“This event, organised in just three days, was meant to test the waters – and we’ve proven that we can rally our members and see support from non-members.
“This is not just to test the waters because many GRS leaders have stated that Bersatu no longer existed (in Sabah).
“Tonight shows otherwise,” he told reporters after launching the PN tour in Kota Kinabalu last night.
Hamzah is expected to visit several other districts in the next two days.
Meanwhile, Hamzah dismissed claims that Perikatan Nasional (PN) lacks a strong presence in Sabah, asserting that the coalition is ready to contest in the state election.
“In our last election, we contested 18 seats and won 11. This proves that even with limited time, we can succeed. Now, we’ve been preparing for almost five years, and our base in Sabah is solid,” he said.
Hamzah questioned the push for local-based parties, noting that several leaders from Sabah have been actively collaborating with national coalitions such as Pakatan Harapan and PKR.
“If they believe in the importance of local-based parties, why are they working with PKR, DAP, and others that are not local? Why is PN the only one being scrutinised?” he said.
The Bersatu leader confirmed that PN will contest in Sabah, saying preparations have been ongoing since 2020.
“We’re not here to make grand statements, but we have an open stance to work with any like-minded leaders who want to shape Sabah’s future. The ‘Make Sabah Great’ slogan is not just rhetoric — we want to make it a reality,” he added.
Hamzah also hinted at informal talks with local leaders but said no formal alliances have been made yet.
Also present was Sabah Bersatu chief Datuk Seri Ronald Kiandee. – January 16, 2025
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