PBS leader not keen on Peter’s new party joining GRS

 

Joniston Bangkuai said any new party which wants to join the ruling Gabungan Rakyat Sabah coalition must first prove themselves.

KOTA KINABALU: A Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) senior leader wants the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) coalition to strengthen existing ties between the founding parties first before admitting new members.

PBS secretary-general Joniston Bangkuai said GRS was still being formalised following the victory of its founding parties in the 16th state elections.

“As such, the coalition should preserve its initial members as they had proven to be true partners,” he added.

GRS comprises Sabah Perikatan Nasional (Bersatu, STAR, SAPP, PAS and Gerakan), Barisan Nasional (Umno, PBRS, MIC and MCA) and PBS.

“While we welcome support from all Sabahans, we must not rush to form new alliances with parties whose loyalty and true partnership have yet to be proven,” he said in a statement here today.

He was responding to former Warisan vice-president Peter Anthony, who said yesterday that his newly-registered party Kesejahteraan Demokratik Masyarakat (KDM) was planning to join the ruling state coalition.

Bangkuai, who is also GRS information chief, stressed that new parties intending to join GRS must prove their political aspirations and motivations and genuine long-term contributions to the coalition first.

“Any decision to accept new parties, including those who have declared themselves to be GRS-friendly, must get the consensus of existing partners.

“After all, the people leading these parties were our political opponents just over a year ago. So, our priority should be to safeguard the original partners while also further strengthening unity.

“What we want to see is a coalition built on trust with the interest of the people and the future of the state at heart,” he said.

As such, Bangkuai said PBS trusted the wisdom of GRS chairman and chief minister Hajiji Noor in ensuring that harmony among all the original founding parties was maintained.

Peter, who is Melalap assemblyman, was reported to have said that it was time for Sabah political parties to work together so that the state government would be as strong as the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) administration.

He and Limbahau state representative Juil Nuatim quit Warisan on Dec 27, claiming that the Shafie Apdal-led party had “strayed from its true path”. Peter was state minister for infrastructure development when Warisan headed the previous state government. - FMT