KOTA KINABALU – The road to being elected as president of Sabah’s oldest party, Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS), will not be easy, said one of its top leaders, Datuk Joachim Gunsalam.
Joachim is facing compatriot Datuk Joniston Bangkuai for the post of deputy president under its Bumiputera quota in the party polls being held during its congress, which begins today.
At present, Joachim is PBS vice-president while Bangkuai is the party’s secretary-general. Both men also hold ministerial positions in the current state government.
Joachim is a Sabah deputy chief minister as well as industrial development minister while Bangkuai is assistant tourism, culture and environment minister.
A leadership transition window has surfaced in PBS after party president Datuk Seri Maximus Ongkili said the party is looking for a successor before or when the party holds its next congress in three years’ time.
According to Joachim, any of the party’s leaders could take over the mantle of party president during the said period, adding that the other party deputy presidents could also be the next president.
“There’s Datuk Jahid Jahim (acting deputy president) who held the Muslim quota and also another rivalry for the deputy president under the Chinese quota, which was between Datuk Dr Yee Moh Chai and Datuk Edward Yong Oui Fah.
“We have three years to work on it. It will not be easy to become a leader, but since we love PBS, we have to try somewhere.
“If it’s Joniston, by all means, we will be ready in three years. It can also be myself, Jahid, or Yee or Yong.
“More importantly, we have to work as a team and who would be best to lead the party later,” he said.
He also noted that the talent among those trying to win a seat on the supreme council should not be brushed aside from rising within the party ranks.
Joachim said all these leaders have different styles of leadership and he is leaving it to the party delegates to choose who would be more suitable to fill in the party’s number two Bumiputera quota.
“I will meet the delegates and explain why I am contesting for the deputy president post and hopefully they will understand my point of view,” he said.
PBS is holding its 36th and 37th annual delegates conference here until this Friday (July 1). – The Vibes, June 29, 2022
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