KOTA KINABALU – Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) president Datuk Seri Maximus Ongkili appears to be under pressure as the party faces calls from within to go local or continue working under the “big tent” concept in Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS).
The GRS component party is being courted by Warisan to form a local alliance as calls grow in Sabah to increase the number of Sabah MPs in Parliament, similar to Sarawak.
Time, however, is also running out for PBS to make a decision, as GRS and Barisan Nasional (BN) are expected to enter an agreement on their electoral cooperation in two to three days’ time.
The Vibes reliably learnt that Ongkili is facing calls from PBS leaders to consider working with Warisan instead, as the party is now seen to be uninfluenced by peninsular parties.
At a recent PBS supreme council meeting on Friday, The Vibes was made to understand that several supreme council members said the party would only be given lesser seats if they work alone, as opposed to working with Warisan.
A supreme council member made no secret that he was willing to “tukar baju” (change parties) if PBS continued to stay in the big alliance.
Refusing to have his name published, he told The Vibes that PBS could not only be content with a few seats, saying they had experienced this in BN and now likely face the same with GRS.
“We have indicated to the (PBS) president that there is a chance of contesting more seats if we work with the opposition party (Warisan),” he told The Vibes.
Another source from the party also did not dismiss any possibilities, citing the state’s political landscape as dynamic and fluid.
You know how it is today. Enemies today can be friends tomorrow,” he said.
The oldest party in Sabah was once a major force and formidable opposition power when BN was in power in the state.
PBS joined BN in 2002 after being the opposition in 1994.
However, the 14th general election saw PBS win only the Kota Marudu seat and lose Kota Kinabalu, Tawau, Kota Marudu, and Batu Sapi.
PBS is tipped to contest in Kota Marudu and Tawau under GRS in GE15.
PBS vice youth chief Shahrun Nidzam also said that it was best for the party to work with Warisan, after BN leader Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said GRS will support BN candidates in the election.
Zahid said this at a MIC function held in the peninsula recently, while the Bersatu-led GRS is aligned to Perikatan Nasional in the peninsula.
SAPP and Sabah Star are also components of PN, while PBS is not part of the alliance led by former prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
Warisan president Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal, meanwhile, had also pointed out that PBS now has only one seat after joining a coalition.
“PBS contested over 30 seats, but now only has one MP, who is Datuk Seri Maximus Ongkili (Kota Marudu),” he said at a function held in Matunggong recently.
Shafie was referring to the time when PBS was the dominant party in Sabah when the state was still under one-party rule, which ended in the 90s when Umno came into Sabah.
PBS founding leader Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan, who is also the Huguan Siou or the paramount leader of the Kadazandusun communities, had also indicated that the indigenous communities want more MPs from Sabah parties to represent them in Parliament.
He said Sabah voters need to elect and prefer local parties that aim more to protect Sabah’s rights and interests, over parties from outside with other agendas who focus less on protecting Sabah’s rights and future than on power and control over Sabah.
“As this is an election for Sabah at the parliamentary level, let us hope and pray that all the MPs elected from the state will defend and protect its rights, interests, sovereignty, and future when they appear and represent it in Parliament.
“Let us hope that our MPs can close ranks and form the parliamentary caucus so that a proper and coordinated approach can be done when voicing unity in Parliament for and on behalf of Sabah and its future generations,” he added. – The Vibes, October 17, 2022
