Election Candidates: PBS To Abide By The Wishes Of Grassroots
Monday, 23 February 2004 (Source: Bernama)

KOTA KINABALU: Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) President Datuk Joseph Pairin Kitingan said the party will abide by the wishes of the people at the grassroots when determining whether their incumbents would be retained or dropped in the next State elections.

"Generally, we will decide based on the wishes of the people at the grassroots. That is why we will only announce the candidate line-up at an appropriate time...whether the incumbents would be included, we shall find out," he told reporters after closing an election machinery workshop for the Moyoq, Inanam and Kepayan divisions in Penampang near, here Monday.

He said this when asked whether PBS would retain all 13 of its State Assemblymen at the forthcoming State elections similar to that of Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP) which on Sunday announced that it would retain all six of its Members of Parliament in the next general election.

Asked whether priority would be given to the incumbents, Pairin who is Tambunan State Assemblyman said: "Of course."

Apart from Pairin, PBS is also represented by Datuk Dr Maximus Ongkili (Tandek), Datuk Radin Malleh (Melalap), Atong Mangabis (Matunggong), Herbet Lagadan (Kadamaian), Edward Linggu (Tamparuli), Datuk Louis Rampas (Kiulu), Johny Goh (Inanam), Dr Yee Moh Chai (Api-Api), Yong Oui Fah (Sembulan), Karim Adam (Kundasang), Datuk Michael Asang (Labuk) and Samson Chin (Sri Tanjung) at the Sabah State Legislative Assembly.

On the seat allocation for the State Barisan Nasional (BN) component parties, Pairin said PBS had submitted its request to the State BN leadership for consideration.

"We have the foundation to ask for at least 17 or 20 seats to help BN achieve a major victory at the next State election.

"However, PBS would adhere to the State BN leadership in this matter," he said.