PBS still loyal to GRS, PN, Ongkili tells party delegates

 

Maximus Ongkili pledges support for GRS and PN coalition leaders, Hajiji Noor and Muhyiddin Yassin.

KOTA KINABALU: Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) will remain loyal to the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) and a faithful partner in the Sabah government coalition, its president Maximus Ongkili said today.

Ongkili, who is Kota Marudu MP, said the party will also continue to be a partner in the Perikatan Nasional-led (PN) federal government, pointing out that PBS has good ties with both coalitions.

“We want to build trust and relationship among partners of GRS and PN. You can trust PBS as a partner for the people of Sabah,” he said, in his policy speech in conjunction with the party’s 35th annual delegates congress here today.

This is the first time the congress was held via virtual conferencing.

He said both political partnerships have given PBS a huge space to contribute to the governing and managing of the state and country.

“We will maintain this position until there is a need to review the situation to strengthen the position at both the federal and state levels.

“We continue to pledge our loyalty, support and cooperation both for Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin and chief minister Hajiji Noor,” said the Sabah and Sarawak affairs minister.

Speculation over a possible PBS-Warisan tie-up made headlines last month after Warisan president Shafie Apdal said he preferred to work with PBS rather than his former party, Umno.

After Shafie’s remarks, Ongkili responded by saying the party was willing to work with any opposition party for the good of Sabahans, but stopped short of addressing the issue of an exclusive political pact with Warisan.

Ongkili said PBS took note of Shafie’s political gesture to work together for the sake of the people, but insisted his party was “comfortable” working with Bersatu, through GRS and PN.

The veteran leader subsequently invited Warisan to join PN.

During an online press conference later, Ongkili said he chose the words carefully to reflect PBS’ firm stance in remaining with GRS and PN.

“As I’ve said, we are comfortable in terms of our position. They are respecting us and acknowledging our contribution. There’s only a need to review if the purpose is to strengthen the existing position,” he said.

On the reconvening of Parliament, Ongkili believed that PN should not be worried about any talk of a change in government, saying this was not even high on the opposition’s agenda.

“From my observation so far, all opposition parties have a good sense of leadership. They’re not raising the need for a change in government.

“They are following the sentiments on the ground, mainly that people are more concerned about getting rid of Covid-19 rather than who has the majority,” he said, adding that the opposition also want stability in managing the pandemic.

On another issue, Ongkili clarified that he did not pledge to resolve all the issues pertaining to promises made to Sabah and Sarawak under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) within six months after assuming his federal portfolio in March last year.

Instead, he said he wanted to retable the bill to amend Article 1(2) of the Federal Constitution, which seeks to restore Sabah and Sarawak’s equal status to Malaya, within that period.

“I was not referring to the whole lock, stock and barrel of the claim over MA63. I know nobody with a sound mind would have promised such things because the list is too long.

“What I wanted is for the re-tabling (of the bill to amend) Article 1(2) because the previous one failed.

“At that time (appointed as minister), I just spoke to the prime minister and he gave me the mandate then to engage with DAP and other opposition members with a view to re-tabling the amendment,” he said.

Ongkili said he was confident of achieving this within six months because many of those who pushed for the amendment previously are now in the opposition.

“I have even spoken to Guan Eng in the corridors of Parliament. I said ‘I want to retable the bill with changes’. He (Lim) was open to it.

“Unfortunately, Covid-19 became worse after that. But of course we are still addressing this matter. This is high on our list,” he said.

The previous Pakatan Harapan government tabled the Federal Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2019, which sought to restore the status of Sabah and Sarawak, but it was defeated at the Dewan Rakyat on Apr 9, 2019.

The government then failed to secure the two-thirds majority needed for the bill, which seeks to amend Article 1(2) of the Federal Constitution to be passed.

A total of 138 MPs voted for the amendment and 59 abstained. There were 221 MPs in the house at the time. A two-third majority, or 148 votes, were needed for the constitutional amendment to be passed. - FMT