KOTA KINABALU: Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) is not pushing for a new political alignment with fellow native-based Sabah STAR and opposition Parti Warisan, says its president Datuk Dr Joachim Gunsalam.
PBS, he said, remains committed to Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) led by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor.
“The reports and speculation about PBS’ new political alignment with Sabah STAR and Warisan are totally untrue,” Dr Gunsalam, who is Deputy Chief Minister II, said when contacted yesterday.
He was dismissing the talk amid a report quoting an unnamed PBS supreme council member as stating that its leaders were keen to forge a new alliance with opposition Warisan following moves by GRS to forge an electoral pact with Pakatan Harapan.
Both PBS and Sabah STAR, which is led by Deputy Chief Minister I Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan, are part of the eight-member GRS state coalition government with Sabah Pakatan.
There was alleged unease within some quarters of the PBS supreme council due to unhappiness over the possibility of GRS working with national parties as well as GRS’ reluctance to allocate more native non-Muslim seats to PBS and Sabah STAR.
PBS and Sabah STAR earlier this year struck an understanding to contest most of the 23 to 25 Kadazandusun, Rungus and Murut seats in the coming state election in their bid to strengthen the non-Muslim native base in GRS. The two parties currently hold 13 seats.
Hajiji last month told his Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah members that they should work with national parties.
He said Sabah, unlike neighbouring Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS), is not in a position to go it alone as yet and needs to work with national parties.
On Oct 4, GRS information chief Datuk Joniston Bangkuai also dismissed speculation about Sabah STAR and PBS working with Warisan, which remains in opposition at the state level but is part of the unity government at the federal level.
GRS, he added, remains united under Hajiji – who regularly meets with component party leaders to address both state and party matters.
