By WU VUIDE
TENOM: Acting Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) President Datuk Seri Dr Joachim Gunsalam has called on all PBS Melalap Division members to ensure victory for Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) in the upcoming State Election.
All PBS members, including those at the grassroots level, must work hard, he said when officiating the division’s annual general meeting at the Sabah Murut Cultural Centre.
“As the Acting President, I will try to visit all divisions to meet and get to know members at all levels, especially as we head into the upcoming State Election.
“The issue of candidate selection is not the main concern. Whoever is named as the candidate — whether young, male or female — if they are contesting under the PBS banner, we must give them full, one hundred per cent support,” he said.
Dr Joachim, who is also Deputy Chief Minister II, said that while PBS hopes to field a candidate in Melalap, the main objective is to secure victory for GRS.
“There has yet to be a detailed discussion at the top leadership level of GRS regarding the candidate for Melalap. However, what matters most is GRS’s victory,” he added.
“We are also very confident that Sabah will become more advanced and prosperous under the governance of the GRS government,” he said.
Dr Joachim also thanked Division Chief Martin Johanis and event organising chairman Datuk Fredian Gan for inviting him to officiate the meeting.
In a separate event in Beaufort, he also urged all party members to defend the Lumadan state seat.
Speaking at the opening of the 40th Annual General Meeting of the PBS Southern Interior Zone — involving the PBS divisions of Bongawan, Membakut, Klias, Lumadan and Sindumin — at the Dun Banir Hall, he expressed confidence that PBS can retain the Lumadan seat.
“However, this will not be an easy task. We cannot be too relaxed or indifferent, as the opposition this time is stronger. They will use their expertise to divide our supporters,” he said.
He said that any seat won by PBS will continue to represent GRS in this State Election.
Dr Joachim also praised the character of PBS Lumadan Division Chief, Datuk Ruslan Muharam, who is also the Lumadan State Assemblyman as a loyal party leader who is close to the people.
In this regard, he called on all PBS members to support GRS candidates in the coming State Election.
“We need to secure a bigger majority in all the seats contested by GRS,” he said.
Dr Joachim reiterated that PBS is part of the government and will remain with GRS.
“Only local parties understand how to resolve issues in this state. We are not anti-Federal Government.
“We still want and need to work with the Federal Government. The discussions held under MA63 have already yielded several successful outcomes for Sabah,” he said.
Dr Joachim also accepted 449 new membership applications from PBS Lumadan.
