Ongkili gives PBS 3 years to identify his successor

Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) president Maximus Ongkili has given the party three years to find his successor.

The minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Sabah and Sarawak Affairs) said PBS must begin to identify potential candidates that can lead the party to the next level.

He said the party’s central elections this Thursday (June 30) can be a good platform to do so, adding that it is also an opportunity for party leaders to prove themselves.

“I might be stepping down in three years or even before that, so we can begin identifying potential candidates (for the president post).

“They (the leaders) have yet to prove themselves so I am giving them the chance to do so. So at least I am giving them the time frame so that the party has ample time to be ready for the transition,” he said when met by reporters after officiating PBS Youth and Women’s wings annual congress today.

Ongkili is expected to retain his post unchallenged in the party elections, while the party’s deputy president’s post is to be contested by Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Dr Joachim Gunsalam, and Assistant Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment Joniston Bangkuai.

Joachim, who is PBS vice-chairperson and Kundasang assemblyperson, is a medical doctor; while Joniston is the party’s secretary-general and Kiulu assemblyperson, a former journalist for several media agencies including Bernama, New Straits Times and Sabah Times.

Ongkili was appointed as the acting PBS president in Jan 2017 and officially took over the presidency during the PBS annual congress in Nov 2018.

- Bernama