KOTA KINABALU: Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) deputy president Jamilah Sulaiman announced today that she had left the party after more than 33 years as she could no longer work with president Maximus Ongkili, who is also Kota Marudu MP.
“Yes, it’s confirmed,” she said in a short text to FMT.
Earlier, a statement announcing that she had left the party was widely shared in Whatsapp.
Jamilah, formerly a two-term senator, said she would submit her resignation letter to the party soon.
She said she came to the decision after “having a heart-to-heart talk with her supporters and PBS loyalists”, adding that 17 party members from the Sipitang division had also quit the party.
“After considering the views and struggles of those with me in PBS all this while, I have decided to resign and relinquish all my posts in the party,” said the PBS Sindumin division chief.
“I took this decision because I had lost faith in Ongkili’s leadership – he is an inconsistent leader who does not hold on to his words, inconsiderate, practices favouritism and a hypocrite,” she said in the statement.
Jamilah, who had helped Umno campaign in the recent Kimanis by-election, also claimed she could not work with Ongkili’s “gang” in the PBS.
“Therefore it is better that I leave the party although this is difficult for me as I have served the party for more than 33 years.
“For the time being, I wish to rest from politics and have yet to decide on my next political career,” she said.
Jamilah was the first woman leader to be appointed as a PBS deputy president, under the Muslim Bumiputera quota. She was re-appointed to the position during the party’s 33rd annual delegates convention in November 2018.
The other two slots are filled by Radin Malleh, for the non-Muslim Bumiputera quota, and Yee Moh Chai for the Chinese.
Jamilah was the Sipitang assemblyman from 1990 to 1994, social services assistant minister during PBS’ rule in Sabah and was a Dewan Negara member from 2012 to 2018.
She served under former PBS president and founder Joseph Pairin Kitingan until he retired following the 2018 general election.
In response, Ongkili said Jamilah had persistent problems with the Youth and Wanita wings of the party.
“She was viewed as interfering in matters outside her job specification and jurisdiction.
“She had also threatened to resign on several occasions when the wings withheld support for her,” he said.
Ongkili, however, wished Jamilah the best in her future political undertakings. He also confirmed that he had received Jamilah’s resignation letter.
“During her time in PBS, the party had served her well and gave numerous opportunities to her to serve party members and Sabahans, especially when the party was in the Barisan Nasional government,” Ongkili said.
“PBS also nominated her to serve two terms as a senator under the party’s quota.”
He said PBS was not short of experienced and capable leaders to help lead the party, adding that they had ready-made leaders from among Muslim members to fill the positions Jamilah vacated. - FMT
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