Division wants Pairin, Ongkili to retain posts

KUDAT, Aug 23 (The Borneo Post) -- Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) Matunggong wants incumbent president Datuk Seri Joseph Pairin Kitingan and deputy president Datuk Dr Maximus Ongkili to be returned unopposed at the party election later this year.

The division passed a resolution to this effect at its delegates’ meeting here after nominating Pairin and Maximum to defend their posts.

The PBS Tandik also made a similar resolution during its delegates meeting recently.

Pairin, who is Deputy Chief Minister cum Infrastructure Development Minister, has been helming PBS since the party was formed in 1984.

Maximus, who is Federal Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, is one of the party’s three deputy presidents.

He filled the non-Muslim Bumiputera quota.

The two others are Minister of Resource Development and Information Technology Datuk Dr Yee Moh Chai and Datuk Aliuddin Mohd Tahir for the Chinese and Muslim Bumiputera quotas respectively.

PBS is scheduled to hold its general meeting and election of office-bearers in early October.

Sarapin Magana who heads PBS Matunggong said the division also adopted a resolution for Langkon seat to be given to the party, if the Election Commission (EC) were to reinstate the state constituency.

He said Langkon was the party’s stronghold before the seat was abolished by the EC.

Apart from PBS, other political parties have also urged the EC to reinstate the seat in the state Legislative Assembly which now has 60 seats. PBS has 8,176 members in Matunggong, including 521 who joined the party recently.

“Matunggong fully supports the reinstatement of Langkon seat and it should be given to PBS if EC is going to reinstate it,” said Sarapin.

PBS has 8,176 members in Matunggong, including 521 people who joined the party recently.