KOTA KINABALU: Parti Kesejahteraan Demokratik Masyarakat (PKDM) is eyeing all Kadazandusun and Murut (KDM) majority seats in the state election due by September 2025.
Speaking at an event in Kota Marudu on June 22, party president Datuk Peter Anthony (pic) announced that it is aiming to contest three of the area’s seats – Tandek, Matunggong and Bandau – as part of its overall strategy to capture the KDM heartland.
The party wants to break into Parti Bersatu Sabah’s traditional strongholds in Kota Marudu, which are Tandek and Matunggong, currently held by Datuk Henrus Anding and Datuk Julita Majungki, respectively.
The third, Bandau, a new seat created in 2019, is held by PKDM’s deputy president and Kota Marudu MP Datuk Wetrom Bahanda, which he won in the 2020 state election.
Anthony said PKDM should begin work soon since the 17th state election could be called at any time.
“We have yet to start work while other parties have mobilised their machinery.
“As such, I am announcing that PKDM will be contesting in all three state seats in Kota Marudu, as well as all KDM seats in Sabah,” he said at the party’s Karamazan Kokotuan, or harvest festival in the Rungus language, in Matunggong.
Apart from the KDM-majority seats, Anthony also hinted at PKDM’s interest in contesting in mixed community seats such as Pitas and Pintasan.
“The people of Sabah must be brave enough to make changes as the current government is still weak in addressing various public issues, including water, electricity, roads, and the economy,” he said.Anthony was among the pioneer leaders of Parti Warisan and was one of its vice-presidents before he ditched the party to form PKDM in January 2022.
When announcing the party’s formation, the Melalap assemblyman envisioned the party as an alternative choice for the KDM community.
He also said that PKDM would serve Sabahans irrespective of race or religion.
