KIULU: Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) and Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (Star) must remain united to maintain their current seats and secure more in the coming state election, said PBS Information Chief Datuk Joniston Bangkuai.
He emphasised that unity within PBS-Star is the defining factor in ensuring continued political influence within the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) coalition.
“Without solidarity, our aspirations will remain just a dream. “The collaboration between PBS and Star is an opportunity for us to work together and strengthen GRS in the next state election. “This partnership should not be misunderstood,” said Joniston, who is also GRS Information Chief, at the Himpunan Solidariti Star Sabah in Kiulu on Sunday.
The event was officiated by Star President and GRS Deputy Chairman Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan. Among those present were Star Secretary-General Datuk Edward Linggu and Kiulu Star Division Chief Terence Sinti.
Joniston highlighted that maintaining the seats PBS and Star have secured is a priority, as these constituencies represent the trust and mandate given by the people.
“With our continued collaboration, the seven seats won by PBS and six by Star must remain ours,” said the Kiulu Assemblyman.
He stressed that PBS and Star aim not only to defend their seats but also to expand their presence.
“What we want to see is an increase in seats allocated for PBS and Star, and this is where unity plays a key role,” said Joniston, while acknowledging that party leadership will engage in discussions within GRS to strategise on seat distribution.
He added that the existing cooperation within the 13 seats won by PBS and Star is a strong foundation that should be further reinforced.
“When our number of seats increases, we gain strength, and this is our opportunity to support the leadership with our collective backing further,” he said.
He added that the response to the PBS-Star collaboration has been tremendous and well received by the people, which augurs well for its objective of ensuring a convincing victory for GRS.
On April 18, 2024, PBS and Star signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen cooperation for the state election, with Jeffrey and PBS Acting President Datuk Seri Dr Joachim Gunsalam reaffirming their commitment to bridging political divides.
