KOTA KINABALU, Oct 9 — Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) today pledged to back the five former Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (Star) assemblymen who stayed with the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) coalition, saying it will mobilise its campaign machinery in their constituencies for the coming state polls.
PBS information chief Datuk Joniston Bangkuai said the decision was made during the party’s political bureau meeting today chaired by acting president Datuk Seri Dr Joachim Gunsalam.
He said the move was aimed at ensuring both PBS and GRS benefit from stronger grassroots cooperation and unity on the ground.
“These constituencies are among areas where PBS has a strong and active grassroots presence.
“The party believes that by pooling resources and working together on the ground, GRS can maintain its momentum and secure the confidence of voters in the upcoming state election,” said Bangkuai, who is also GRS information chief.
PBS will soon initiate discussions with the five assemblymen — Sook’s Datuk Ellron Angin, Bingkor’s Datuk Robert Tawik, Paginatan’s Datuk Abidin Madingkir, Liawan’s Datuk Annuar Ayub, and Tulid’s Datuk Flovia Ng — who quit Star after it decided to contest the next election independently.
The five are expected to defend their seats under the GRS banner.
PBS, a founding member of GRS, has reiterated its full support for the coalition and its partnership with the national bloc Pakatan Harapan (PH).
“PBS has long maintained good cooperation with them at the ground level, and we will continue this partnership in the true spirit of GRS unity,” said Bangkuai.
He said PBS’s decision was based on the understanding that cooperation and trust among GRS component parties are vital to sustaining political stability and delivering development to the people.
“Our decision was made out of a shared responsibility to preserve the trust and confidence that the people have placed in GRS, and to continue what we have started together under GRS, for the benefit of our communities,” he said.
The split between Star and GRS has reignited debate over efforts to unite the non-Muslim native races — collectively known as the KDM (Kadazandusun Murut) communities — under a single political platform.
courtesy of PBS
