BEAUFORT: Some 98 members from Umno and Warisan in the Lumadan quit to join Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) Lumadan Division.
Some 38 Umno members from Padas Damit branch and 30 Warisan members each from the Kg Luang and Kg Suasa branches left and submitted their forms by their respective branch heads to PBS Lumadan Chief who is also Lumadan Assemblyman Datuk Ruslan Muharam at PBS Gadong Annual General Meeting here on Sunday.
In addition to losing faith in their respective parties, they were joining PBS and setting up a new branch of the party because they believe in Ruslan’s leadership.
Padas Damit Umno Branch Head, Mail Udin, 68, said the current Umno leadership often quarrels with each other to the extent of affecting grassroots members.
As a result, he said, he decided to “migrate” to PBS because he had found true leadership who worked hard to defend the people and develop Lumadan.
“Frankly, I say that I am a strong supporter of Umno but I have lost faith in its leadership in the area and at the state level. The party has strayed from its the original struggle.
“This kind of situation does not happen in PBS, especially under Datuk Ruslan’s leadership. In fact, he is a true leader who sincerely works for the people and the Lumadan area.
“We can see big problems that have never been solved by assemblymen before, such as water supply and floods, he (Ruslan) has solved in just a short period of time,” he said.
The same opinion was also shared by Kg Luang Warisan Branch Head, Jamain Bendilis, 49, who joined PBS because he was aware that Lumadan had changed under Ruslan’s leadership.
“I was interested in joining PBS because of the leadership of Datuk Ruslan who does not practise favouritism in helping the people regardless of political affiliation.
Everyone is helped.
“This kind of attitude does not exist in other parties and for that reason I joined PBS and want to fight alongside him (Ruslan) to defend the party in Lumadan,” he stressed.
Meanwhile, Ruslan who is also Assistant Minister to the Chief Minister, welcomed their participation in PBS which proves that the party’s struggle meets the people’s wishes.
He said that everything he does in Lumadan is carrying out the trust as an assemblyman must be fulfilled by being fair to the people.
“As a representative of the people, I personally implement the concept of ‘personal touch’ without favouritism because I will help and serve all people regardless of political ideology, religion or race.
“The influx of many people into PBS also gives the impression that the grassroots are confident in the leadership of Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) by choosing PBS as a vehicle for their struggle.
“At the same time, I am confident in the leadership of the Chief Minister who has implemented various initiatives to empower the interests of the people involving the economic, educational and social fields,” he said.
