BEAUFORT: Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) has joined Barisan Nasional on the campaign trail for the Kimanis by-election, with its assemblyman trying to win over voters in a Kadazandusun Murut (KDM) area here.
PBS’ Kiulu assemblyman Joniston Bangkuai spoke to voters in Kampung Kiulu Baru in the Lumat polling district here last night, saying how happy he was to meet his “old relatives”.
“I am the rep for Kiulu constituency but I am happy to see many of you here who are originally from there, hence, the reason this place is called Kampung Kiulu Baru (new Kiulu village).
“So I can finally ‘lepaskan rindu’ (reconnect) with my relatives from Kiulu,” he said to the applause from those who attended the event.
Kiulu is a state constituency in the Tuaran parliamentary seat about 135km from here. This is PBS’ first appearance in support of BN for the Kimanis polls.
PBS president Maximus Ongkili had previously said they would support the opposition candidate but the candidate must oppose the Sabah Temporary Pass (PSS) and fight to regain the state’s rights.
Bangkuai, who is also PBS information chief, said it was important for PBS, who left BN shortly after the May 2018 general election, and Umno to work as an opposition bloc to oppose the Warisan-led government.
He said PBS is campaigning for BN after Umno committed to fight for the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) and the issue of 20% oil royalty for Sabah.
Bangkuai also launched a fresh attack on Upko president Wilfred Madius Tangau who he blamed for BN’s eventual downfall in the last general election.
“We were supposed to be the ruling government now but are instead in the opposition because of the president of this party (Upko) who betrayed us,” he said, referring to Tangau bringing his assemblymen to switch camps from BN to Warisan.
“We were not able to continue our agenda for development because of that betrayal,” he said.
Bangkuai blasted Tangau for saying people should not worry about the PSS too much but rather be wary of PAS, which he described as practising religious extremism.
“I followed his speeches during this campaign period and recently, he said the people should fear PAS more than the PSS, that PAS will bring about 1,000 members to Kimanis.
“But he doesn’t fear about the more than one million illegal immigrants in Sabah?”-FMT