ALL remaining Umno, Upko and PBRS members and elected representatives loyal to Barisan Nasional will now join PBS under a new name – PBS Plus. 

The new PBS will seal a political partnership with Sabah Star called Gabungan Bersatu, and withdraw from BN. 

The new state coalition also hailed Musa Aman as the rightful chief minister, said PBS president Joseph Pairin Kitingan today. 

“There will be no political alignment with the national coalition or just the federal government until we have established the political and economic benefits for Sabah,” said PBS president Pairin said. 

Pairin, who lost the Tambunan seat to his brother and Sabah Star president Dr Jeffrey Kitingan, stressed that the new coalition will try to form a good relationship with the new PH federal government. 

“We will take an open and positive attitude to forge mutually beneficial relations between the state and central governments to ensure that the rights as contained in the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), state security, national unity and socio-economic progress of Sabahans are honoured, protected and preserved,” he said. 

Pairin also hailed the government formed on Wednesday by Musa, adding it was a legal government elected by the people of Sabah and in accordance with the state’s constitution. 

“Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) and its elected representative will continue to support and endorse Chief Minister Tan Sri Musa Aman as a leader of this elected government.

“It is not only proper and politically right but also consistent with our joint commitment to participate in the 14th general election under the BN platform,” he said. 

“All political parties and the people of Sabah should accept and respect this legally constituted state government based on the 29 BN elected representatives and two elected members from Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (STAR).” 

He said attempts to destabilise or dethrone this constitutionally elected state government should be avoided at all costs, adding that the democratic process must be respected. 

Pairin said the sickening act of “YB trading” or political leapfrogging (lompat katak) from one party to another to cause the downfall of an elected government was dishonorable. 

“What is happening today is the repeat of the PBS political fiasco in 1994. When are Sabahan leaders going to grow up and mature in their political engagements? Political leapfrogging is not a practice that should be taught to young Sabahans,” he said. – May 12, 2018.