KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) and PAS will remain component parties of Perikatan Nasional at both the state and federal levels, says Datuk Seri Dr Ronald Kiandee.
The Sabah Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia chief said this was despite both SAPP and PAS being government backbenchers in the Sabah assembly.
“The situation is a bit delicate but it has been like that, you cannot just do away with it,” he told reporters after witnessing the handing over of appointment letters to 21 Sabah Bersatu division women chiefs here on Saturday (June 17).
“We maintain it that way until such time.
“I will be calling a state Perikatan meeting very soon, probably in the next one or two weeks, as we had an informal discussion this afternoon,” Kiandee added.
SAPP president Datuk Seri Yong Teck Lee and Sabah PAS secretary Dr Aliakbar Gulasan were appointed as two of the six nominated assemblymen following Gabungan Rakyat Sabah’s (GRS) victory in the September 2020 snap state election.
Chief Minister and GRS chairman Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor was then the Sabah Bersatu chief.
Hajiji then led an exodus of Sabah Bersatu assemblymen and leaders from the party last December before launching their current party, Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah, in March this year.
Kiandee also said Perikatan is not looking to work with other parties for the Sabah state election which is due in September 2025.
“Why the need (to do so)? As of now, we are sticking to the component parties we have at the state level.
“At the federal level, Perikatan has (besides Bersatu) PAS and Gerakan; at the state level, we have PAS, Gerakan and SAPP (besides Sabah Bersatu).
“Only Sabah STAR previously withdrew from Perikatan,” he said, referring to the party led by Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan which quit the coalition following the 15th General Election.
Kiandee said he would call a formal meeting with the Sabah Perikatan components to “complete” the coalition in the state.
He added with the handing over of the appointment letters to the Sabah division women chiefs today, it meant that the state leadership, divisions and respective wings were now complete.
Earlier, Bersatu Women’s chief Datuk Seri Rina Harun handed over the letters and said more activities will be carried out to increase their women members, also called Srikandi in the party.
“This is not only limited to Srikandi but all party wings and the party itself.
“There are four more appointment letters to be given in Sabah soon, but ultimately, the new Srikandi members in Sabah are looking more spirited and solid now,” she said.
