KOTA KINABALU: Sabah's third generation of Kadazandusun leaders are set to take over or are in the process of moving up to helm their respective parties.
Second-generation leaders in Upko and Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) were making way for the third generation while Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS) had also seen a third-generation leader take over.
Upko president Datuk Seri Wilfred Madius Tangau passed on the baton to 39-year-old Datuk Ewon Benedick without a challenge at the party's triennial meeting at the Sabah Cultural Centre in Penampang Sunday (Jan 15).
"It has been tradition for a smooth transition in our party leadership. What is important is for the party and the younger generation to take over," said Madius who took over as president in 2014 from founding president Tan Sri Bernard Dompok who retired from active politics.
Madius said that many had written off the party on many occasions but the party had come back strengthened and was able to pursue its push on various rights of Sabah and its people.
PBS president Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili was also indicating that he wanted to retire 18 months ahead of his three-year term to make way for a third-generation leader to helm Sabah's oldest party founded by Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingam.
Dr Ongkili told reporters on Sunday (Jan 15) that he had proposed to step down, but the supreme council urged him to stay put.
"Of course, we have three deputies, they are available to play a bigger role. I think we have another two and a half years to go before my current term ends," said Dr Ongkili, who lost his Kota Marudu Parliament seat in the general elections.
He said that he would bring up at the party's annual congress in June to consider his option for a new leadership in the party.
"We will see if they are ready, any of the three or any new faces, I'll be happy to hand over the leadership of the party," Dr Ongkili told reporters when met during the party's Chinese New Year walkabout here Sunday.
If Ongkili steps aside, Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Joachim Gunsalam was seen as the key leader to take over as party president.
The other deputies were state Rural Development Minister Datuk Jahid Jahim and former deputy chief minister Datuk Dr Yee Moh Chai.
On Jan 7, PBRS founding president Tan Sri Joseph Kurup resigned and handed over the helm to his 40-year-old son Datuk Arthur Joseph Kurup, who was the party's deputy president. Arthur is Pensiangan MP.
Upko and PBRS were breakaways from PBS that were formed after the collapse of Pairin's state government after the 1994 state election.
