Peter gets Parti KDM registered, set to work with GRS

Datuk Peter Anthony (centre) and Limbahau assemblyman Datuk Juil Nuatim (left) showing the registration of his new Parti KDM Malaysia on his return to Kota Kinabalu Monday.

KOTA KINABALU: Former Parti Warisan vice-president Datuk Peter Anthony has finally got his new party registered.

It has ended speculation that there was pressure disallowing the registration of the party that would split the native community.

The new multi-racial party will be known as Parti Kesejahteraan Demokratik Masyarakat with the acronym Parti KDM, which reflects Sabah's native Kadazandusun and Murut communities.

Peter, who returned from Kuala Lumpur on Monday (Feb 21), said that the Registrar of Societies (ROS) had approved the new party on Feb 18 and he would be officially launching it in Kota Kinabalu on March 13.

"There has been so much talk that we were not able to register the party. The registration of the new party by ROS proves that there was no truth to such talk," said the Melalap assemblyman on his return from Kuala Lumpur.

He said that his party would work with the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) led state government and would apply to join the coalition when it gets registered as a formal entity.

Peter said that he was going to work with all GRS parties including Kadazandusun based Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS), Sabah STAR and Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS) for the betterment of the state.

His party would be focusing on Sabahans as members and its priority was to ensure issues of the needs of Sabah are the key focus.

"We want to focus on Sabah. If you look at Sarawak, the local parties are strong and united and able to serve the people better," he said, adding that all parties must work together to resolve Sabah problems.

Peter and Limbahau assemblyman Datuk Juil Nuatim left Warisan led by Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal on Dec 28 last year.

He said Juil will be protem deputy president of Parti KDM and its protem secretary-general will be Gaim James Lunkapis.

Peter, a close ally of Shafie and point man Warisan interior support, left Warisan claiming that he was unhappy with the party's move to spread its wings to Peninsular Malaysia.

He is currently on trial at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court for a charge of using false documents for a 2014 Universiti Malaysia Sabah maintenance contract.