PBS Welcomes Growing Consensus On Unity Within KDM Community
Friday, 28 May 2004 (Source: Bernama)

KOTA KINABALU: Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) welcomes the growing consensus on the urgent need for unity and close cooperation within the Kadazandusun and Murut (KDM) community.

Its information chief, Henrynus Amin, said Friday that in spite of the rhetoric, the overriding concern in the minds of the KDM political leaders was to close ranks and unite, regardless of their Barisan Nasional (BN) political affiliation.

Therefore, he urged the KDM community to heed the call by KDM paramount leader Datuk Joseph Pairin Kitingan, who is PBS president and Deputy Chief Minister, for unity, not only within the community but also among the people of Sabah in general.

Henrynus said Pairin's call for unity was consistent with the BN's objective of uniting all Malaysians within the context of Vision 2020.

"The BN's landslide victory in the recent state and parlimentary elections should now provide the KDM community the necessary platform to be united under the BN umbrella," he said in a statement here.

He said the KDM community "continues to lag behind other communities in terms of civil service appointments and job promotions, award of scholarships and access to tertiary education", not to mention participation in commerce and industry, because they were not united in their political struggle.

Henrynus expressed optimism that under the BN rule, the KDM community would progress and enjoy the fruits of development.

However, he stressed that the immediate challenge for the KDM leadership in BN was to develop a clear and consistent agenda for the community.

"There is also an urgent need to rectify the misperception that Kadazandusuns and Muruts generally lack economic opportunities," he added.