KOTA KINABALU — Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan has emphasised the importance of working as a team over a potential merger between the party he founded, Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS), and Sabah Star, led by his younger brother, Datuk Seri Jeffrey Kitingan.
He said he believes that working together as a team is the best approach to protect the interests of Sabah, uphold democratic values, and secure a brighter future for the state.
“We have to protect Sabah, her rights, democracy and future. It is only wise to think in terms of working together, supporting the noble intentions that Sabah rights are protected and returned,” he told reporters after officiating the party’ 38th Congress at the Hongkod Koisaan Hall in Penampang here today.
Pairin, who retired from active politics in 2018 pointed out that some of state rights have been taken during the Emergency Rule and that emergency rule has now been repealed.
These include the limitation of Sabah’s territorial waters to three nautical miles from up to the Continental Shelf and oil and gas rights.
“Some of these rights were taken during the emergency rule, now there is no more emergency. Those laws passed during the emergency rule should be automatically returned because it has been rendered invalid already.
“So working together is a good thing. Working together means discussing with each other, working out how to protect Sabah and her future, especially in parliament, because you have to voice all these in parliament,” he said.
PBS has already made it clear that there will be no merger with Sabah Star as yet as cooperation between parties remains the party’s top priority.
Both PBS and Sabah Star are components of the ruling Sabah alliance, Gabungan Rakyat Sabah, led by Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor.
Sabah Star president Datuk Seri Jeffrey Kitingan suggested the merger in July.
Earlier in his opening address, Pairin advised PBS to start preparing for the elections and give more focus and attention to the party’s next generation.
He said it may be already too late for PBS to make an impact in the forthcoming state election, which is scheduled in 2025.
“The next election you have to get your support from everybody, not just members. So you have to work hard and go to the ground and you have to ensure your party branches get involved strongly as they are on the ground,” he said.
Meanwhile, PBS unanimously passed several motions to amend the party constitution today.
PBS will now hold a delegates conference every three years, instead of each year, and the party also formalised the party Premier Advisory Council set up on Nov 12, 2018, formed the Belia and Beliawanis movement in response to the lowering of the voting age from 21 to 18 and abolished the provision that barred university and college students to join the party.
Around 800 delegates from 64 PBS branches attended the party congress today, including party president Datuk Seri Maximus Ongkili, deputy presidents, Datuk Seri Yee Moh Chai, Datuk Jahid Jahim, Datuk Seri Dr Joachim Gunsalam, as well as party supreme council members. — The Vibes, September 24, 2023
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