PBS quits BN and joins STAR in new coalition

KOTA KINABALU: Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) is the fourth Barisan Nasional component party in Sabah to quit the coalition.

This means that Sabah Barisan effectively has no more local-based parties. The state BN coalition now comprises only Umno, MCA, MIC and Gerakan.

PBS president Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan said the party’s exit from BN was to “lift the spirits and aspirations of Sabahans”.

“Based on the general election results at the federal and state level, it is clear the Barisan platform is no longer a viable political coalition.

“Accordingly, PBS takes the position to withdraw from Barisan and it is offering to spearhead a new platform for political engagement among like-minded parties in Sabah,” he said here yesterday.

PBS’s move came days after Upko, Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS) broke away from Barisan.

On his party’s new direction, Pairin said it would form Gabungan Bersatu with Sabah STAR led by his brother Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan.

They have agreed to political partnership and cooperation, and will ink a pact, he added.

Pairin said while PBS is offering itself as a single platform upon which all elected representatives of the state government can join, the party will, however, continue to support Tan Sri Musa Aman as the Chief Minister.

“The state government formed on May 10 is legally-constituted and elected by the people in accordance with the state constitution.

“PBS and its elected representatives will continue to support and endorse Musa as the chief minister,” he added.

Pairin said all political parties should accept the legally constituted government and asked that attempts to “dethrone” the chief minister cease.

Barisan had a simple majority of 31 seats, of which Sabah STAR contributed two seats. Barely 24 hours after Musa was sworn in, six Barisan assemblymen crossed over to Warisan on Friday.

Pairin said the habit of “leap-frogging” must be stopped as it disrupts democracy and is a bad influence to the younger generation.

On Friday, PBRS president Tan Sri Joseph Kurup announced that the party has left Barisan, a day after Upko’s acting president Datuk Seri Wilfred Madius Tangau and LDP’s Datuk Teo Chee Kang decided to do so.