KOTA KINABALU: Sabah’s oldest active local party - Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) - is focusing on strengthening and rebranding itself to meet changing demands within the political arena.
PBS Acting President Datuk Seri Dr Joachim Gunsalam said among approaches to get closer to the grassroots is to empower youth leadership in all divisions and to create a platform to nurture new leaders.
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“We can consider involving more tertiary students in our activities to allow them to understand our party’s works and struggles, increase membership and have better working relations between the older and younger generations,” he said.
He said this at the PBS’ 41st anniversary celebrations here, which was attended by all party leaders (present and past), as well as division leaders, members and other guests on Thursday.
“We must rebrand according to the changes in society to remain relevant and we are still relevant as a party,” said Joachim, who also called on leaders and members to unite to strengthen the party.
The Deputy Chief Minister said as the oldest surviving political party in Sabah, their journey from the beginning did not come easy, because the reason this party was formed was out of the need to protect the rights of natives in Sabah.
“Today, the trend in politics has changed and we are no longer a party that serves only one group or a certain community,” he said, explaining that PBS now comprised leaders and members from multi-racial and religious backgrounds.
Joachim said that natives in Sabah were no longer left behind, more so under Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor’s leadership and the Sabah Maju Jaya development initiative.
He said they must work hard and consistently to fight for state rights under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), revive and create more interest among the Chinese communities towards PBS and start preparing for the coming general elections.
For the party itself, it must first settle all its division meetings and elections before the party annual general meeting and party elections, which is expected to take place sometime around September this year, added Joachim.
