‘Proposed Sabah STAR-PBS merger must address seat, candidate issues’

KOTA KINABALU – Sabah STAR’s call for a merger with Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) needs further deliberation which must include seat allocations and candidates in elections, said PBS information chief Datuk Joniston Bangkuai.  

Bangkuai, who is also Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) information chief, said although a merger can strengthen the state’s ruling alliance, there are issues that need sorting out first.

These issues would include seat distribution and candidates, which are a “perpetual challenge and a notorious source of internal discord” in political coalitions, he said.

“I believe the idea should be first deliberated and discussed thoroughly by both parties’ supreme councils on the way forward,” he said in a statement here today.

He added that while a merger garners intense interest and scrutiny, its successful implementation relies on exhaustive discussions and agreement on pivotal matters like the new party’s name, symbol, and leadership structure.

Bangkuai was commenting on Sabah STAR president Datuk Seri Jeffrey Kitingan’s statement to the press yesterday, in which he said the idea to merge the two parties, while not new, has emerged again.

Kitingan said it is best for both parties to talk to each other on a possible merger.

However, Bangkuai said past incidents showed that attempts by Kadazandusun and Murut-dominated parties to work together had failed. 

He recalled how PBS and Sabah STAR candidates contested against each other despite an electoral pact in the Sabah election in 2020.

Both PBS and Sabah STAR were aligned with Perikatan Nasional then.

He also noted another broken pact between PBS, Upko and Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah after the 2018 general election, when all three parties were then with Barisan Nasional (BN).   

Upko decided to abandon BN after the 13th general election and supported the Warisan-Pakatan Harapan alliance.

Bangkuai opined that unity within a political alliance bears “unique importance” in Sabah’s political arena. 

“A consolidated front could potentially curb divisive actions and disputes over seat allocations. 

“The key consideration is unity and how it can potentially reinforce the GRS state coalition.” – The Vibes, July 2, 2023