Jeffrey Kitingan talks up potential Sabah STAR-PBS merger

KOTA KINABALU: A merger between Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) and Sabah STAR would be mutually beneficial, says Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan.

The Sabah STAR president said talks of a merger to strengthen the two multi-racial parties with strong Kadazandusun Murut (KDM) backing had taken place before the last Sabah polls in 2020.

"The intention (to merge) has been there for a long time but it did not materialise," he told reporters after launching Sabah STAR's national convention and seventh anniversary in Penampang near here on Saturday (July 1).

"But now the idea has come up again. The situation has demanded it is best for us to talk to each other and find a way how to become one.

"We (Sabah STAR) want to make it happen before the next state election so it would be easier to prepare for it together.

"There have been positive vibes and reactions, and talks within both parties so, my hope is that it will become a reality," added Kitingan, who is also Deputy Chief Minister I.

He said this when responding to a question on talk that both parties would merge to become one in preparation for the state election which is due in 2025.

PBS, which was founded by former chief minister Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan in 1985, is the oldest party in Sabah.

Sabah STAR and PBS are both components of the ruling Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) state coalition.

Asked further how PBS was taking the possible union, Kitingan reiterated that Sabah STAR had been getting positive feedback based on the informal talks between leaders from both sides.

He said that they had also previously met with Pairin, his older brother, over the potential merger.

"And he was very happy. We were ready to issue a statement but Pairin was not the president at the time," he said. (PBS' current president is Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili).

"But now, the situation is different, in the sense that mindset-wise, they (PBS) are ready," he added.

Kitingan said there would understandably be some "challenges" if the merger took place.

"These would be the name (of the party), the party symbol and who will be president – those kinds of things.

"But that is normal. We can be creative enough to find solutions to that," he said.

Sabah STAR presently has six assemblymen including Kitingan, who is also Keningau MP, while PBS has seven seats in the Sabah assembly.

During his speech in conjunction with the Sabah STAR national convention, he expressed his optimism over the party's future, saying they could win more seats in the next state election.

"If given a chance, we could increase that number to 12 assemblymen in the coming polls," he said, adding the party was prepared to place more women candidates during the state election.