PBS confident of retaining 17 seats if allowed to re-contest
Tuesday, 3 February 2004 (Source: New Straits Times)

TENOM: Parti Bersatu Sabah has given the assurance that it will deliver all 17 State seats it won in the 1999 state election if it is allowed to re-contest the seats.
PBS president Datuk Seri Joseph Pairin Kitingan said the confidence of retaining the seats for the BN was based on increasing support since the party rejoined the coalition in 2001.

The PBS won the 17 seats when it was in the opposition.

Speaking when closing a one-day election work camp for the Melalap and Kemabong division near here, Pairin said a landslide victory was necessary to ensure a strong BN government.

In the light of positive development and economic recovery, Sabahans has every reason to vote for the BN under leadership of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Abdullah's recent assurance that his administration would not have two sets of rules for Muslims and non-Muslims reinforced popular belief that he would be fair to all Malaysians, he said.

Stressing that the PBS fully subscribes to the BN struggles and principles, Pairin said the PBS has never rejected the BN concept although the party left the coalition in 1990.

"Our eventual returns are both acts of patriotism demanded by circumstances and love for country," he said.

Pairin, who was Sabah's Chief Minister from 1985 to 1994, said PBS decided to rejoin the BN because the BN leadership was now more responsive to the people.

Citing an example, Pairin said the Election Commission recently announced the removal of 50,000 of the 71,000 dubious names in the electoral rolls pointed out by the PBS.

"The removal of the dubious names from the electoral rolls has vindicated PBS for its stand and untiring efforts to highlight the problem," he said.

Another example, Pairin said was the successful state-wide Ops Nyah II operation to flush out illegal immigrants and recently reducing of parking rates in Kota Kinabalu.