KOTA KINABALU: Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) is sticking to its decision to hold back the party elections amid some grumbling among its ranks, says its acting president, Datuk Seri Dr Joachim Gunsalam.
"The supreme council has decided not to proceed with any party election this year," he said when asked whether they were considering a decision to hold the party election because of the state election this year.
It is learned that some senior party leaders were now quietly pushing for the party elections to be held ahead of the state election, arguing that there was a need to endorse the presidency of Dr Gunsalam.
The group also believes that the party polls would strengthen the party as it goes into the state election due by Sept this year.
Dr Gunsalam, who is Deputy Chief Minister II, said he was aware of the calls for party polls to be held at the PBS annual meeting.
"Yes, I know (about calls for party polls), but during this state election year, may not be a good time to have the party elections," he said when contacted Tuesday (Feb 11).
Dr Gunsalam took over as acting president after the incumbent Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili stepped aside on health grounds in June last year after suffering from speech impairment from a stroke in Feb 2023.
In December last year, Dr Gunsalam disclosed that the party election scheduled during its general assembly meeting in October this year would not be held.
He said that it was important for the party to focus on the coming state election as such it was not prudent to hold party election.
In the last party election in July 2022, Dr Gunsalam narrowly won the deputy president post by five votes when he was challenged by the then secretary-general, Datuk Joniston Bangkuai. Bangkuai has since been appointed party information chief.
Over the last two years, the non-Muslim native-based PBS has been forging unity talks with native-based party Sabah STAR led by Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan in their bid to secure at least 23 to 25 to contest under Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS).
The state seats being eyed were mainly Kadazandusun, Murut and Rungus and both parties - though under GRS - did not want to end up fielding candidates against each other as happened in the 2020 state election.
PBS won seven seats, and Sabah STAR picked up six seats in the last state election.
