KOTA KINABALU: The splitting of native votes after Sabah STAR pulled out of Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) was a key factor in why Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) failed to gain ground in the Nov 29 state election, says Datuk Dr Joachim Gunsalam.
The PBS acting president said that with Sabah STAR’s exit, the two local parties' plans for cooperation were disrupted.
Sabah STAR and PBS had earlier signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) aimed at strengthening their hold on Kadazandusun Murut (KDM) seats in Sabah, which was hoped to boost support for GRS.
"Initially, we had a cooperation arrangement, but at the end of the day… they (Sabah STAR) contested against us," he told reporters after opening the PBS delegates meeting in Penampang near here on Thursday (Dec 18).
Gunsalam said this led to multi-cornered contests in several KDM-majority constituencies, limiting PBS’s ability to secure additional seats.
He said the party lost out in certain KDM seats because of this disunity.
PBS contested 15 seats and won seven: Kundasang, Matunggong, Kiulu, Tandek, Lumadan, Telupid and Limbahau.
Asked about the party contesting fewer seats this year than in the 2020 snap election, but still recording similar results, Gunsalam said this is what it meant by going for quality, not quantity.
He said PBS had limited resources, so it needed to be prudent and choose where it contested wisely.
On the "Sabah for Sabahans" sentiment that remains strong among locals, he said the spirit was also strong in PBS, but this did not mean being antagonistic towards the Federal Government.
Gunsalam said Sabah still needed a lot of funding from Putrajaya, so it was only right that both federal and state governments collaborate instead of being confrontational.
"We should collaborate, we should discuss. The result will be far better," he said.
Asked if GRS should contest the Lamag and Kinabatangan by-elections set for Jan 24, he said it would be a wise choice to stay out for the sake of stability in the state.
The Lamag state seat and Kinabatangan parliamentary seat fell vacant following the passing of their incumbent, Sabah Barisan Nasional chairman Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin, on Dec 5.
Barisan is working with GRS in the state unity government formed after the polls.
