SIPITANG: Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) is not very affected by the resignation of its Deputy President, Datuk Jamilah Sulaiman and some of her supporters on the Divisional Committee.
“ It is regrettable that Jamilah has decided to leave the party. We thank her for her contributions to the party over the last 33 years,” PBS vice-president, Datuk Johnny Mositun said here after meeting party members and branch leaders here to assess the situation on the ground.
“Our fact-finding mission has concluded that Jamilah’s resignation has had minimal effect on the Sindumin PBS Division, with the bulk of members staying put.
All eight Division Chief in the West Coast, including myself as Pantai Manis Division Chief, pledge our undivided loyalty and support for PBS President, Datuk Seri Dr. Maximus Ongkili,” Mositun said.
Declining to speculate on Jamilah’s reasons for leaving PBS Mositun said Jamilah herself had said nothing much except to say that she felt sidelined and received little cooperation from the President.
“That’s what she said and made her decision. It’s done and there is no point talking about it here. We’re here to get the facts on the Sindumin Division and noted that the division still intact,” he said adding that PBS Supreme Council will appoint an acting Division head and Committee to run the Division till the next AGM.
Mositun said PBS was taking Jamilah’s departure in its stride and would focus on strengthening the party to face the next General Election.
“ Leaders come and go, but PBS is bigger than any individual. It is the only Sabah-based party that has outlasted all others. We’ve had our ups and downs, but with commitment and faith in party leaders our struggles for the rakyat will still go on.
He said there were encouraging signs that PBS,because of its consistency and stand on the rights of Sabahans, was witnessing a resurgence of support for the party in recent years.
Some members have left, but more are joining as each day goes by. Some senior leaders of other parties have also joined PBS in the last one year. That is a good sign,” Mositun said.
Mositun, a former Deputy State Assembly Speaker, said the political situation in Sabah, and also West Malaysia and Sarawak, was fluid and there were many uncertainties.
“In this scenario, we must not allow ourselves to be caught off-guard to developments that could have dire consequences for our state’s future. Let’s not be politicking too much that we overlook the real danger to our state. PBS has not forgotten that the proposed PSS was averted narrowly because we remained alert,” he said.
He said PBS also questioned the need for the State Government to create an agenda over the issue of late birth registrations.
“That is an ongoing, routine responsibility and work of the National Registration Department. What is the need to make it a special agenda of the Warisan – PH government?” Mositun said.
He added that all the State Government needed to do was to extend help and cooperation to the NRD when and if warranted.
“PBS hopes that this is not another attempt to exploit loopholes in the law and use it as a cover to effect demographic change on Sabah. We refuse to be fooled, and we will watch every move this government makes when it involves the issuance of any type of documents in Sabah,” he said.
Also present were PBS Secretary General, Datuk Jahid Jahim, PBS vice-presidents Datuk Dr. Joachim Gunsalam and Roslan Muharam, and Information Chief, Datuk Joniston Bangkuai . Division Heads present were Benedict Bototol (Kawang), Jitim Abak (Bongawan), Hamim Gundim (Klias), Roslan Muharam (Lumadan), Datuk Peter Mak (Labuan),Sebastian Anjim (Kuala Penyu.-pr/BNN
