PSB hails appointment of its Wanita chief as senator

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KOTA KINABALU: Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) is happy that Datuk Jamilah Sulaiman has been appointed senator.

Jamilah, who has been PBS Wanita head since 2000, was the elected representative for the Sipitang constituency in the State Legislative Assembly from 1990-1994 and served as Assistant Minister of Welfare Services during that time.

She was sworn in on Wednesday as a senator.

PBS information chief Datuk Johnny Mositun said Jamilah’s appointment and that of Dr Lucas Umbul from UPKO recently as senators spoke volumes of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s commitment to give the KadazanDusun Murut (KDM) community a fair representation in national matters.

Both PBS and UPKO are multi-racial KDM-based parties.

“PBS thanks the Prime Minister for his concern for the KDM community. We would also like to thank Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman for his part and support in their appointments.

“We also thank PBS president Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan for his leadership,” said Mositun who is also a Deputy Speaker when contacted in Kuala Lumpur.

Welcoming President Barak Obama’s re-election for a second term, Mositun said it augured well for the continuation of good relations between Malaysia and the United States.

“Basically it means there will be no major policy changes in the United States which is just recovering from the economic setback of the past several years. Subsequently our trade and commerce with the United States too will continue to grow without much uncertainty,” he said.

Saying he was grateful to the US Ambassador to Malaysia Datuk Paul W. Jones for the invitation to observe the US Presidential Election first hand, Mositun said Malaysia’s own electoral process compared well with that of the United States.

“Of course there are differences in our electoral processes. That is because the US is a republic and uses the Electoral College system. Also, the Presidential Election is held separately from the election for congressional representatives.

“In Malaysia we do not hold a separate election to appoint the Chief Executive (Prime Minister). But in terms of procedure, effectiveness and efficiency, I must say our own SPR (the Election Commission) can hold its own vis-à-vis its US counterpart,” Mositun said.