TENOM: The next five years is very crucial for Sabah and Sarawak to take advantage of its large representation in Parliament.
Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Dr Maximus Ongkili said Sabah and Sarawak must play a more important role in the country’s political and development landscape and nation building.
“This is the time to ensure development is brought to both states where the people’s support had largely determined Barisan Nasional’s continued leadership and government. Sabah and Sarawak clearly play such an important role in the country’s political stability.
“If the people do not feel that developments have been brought to them despite putting their support on Barisan Nasional, in the next election at least five years from now, they might decide to keep their ‘fix deposit’ in another ‘political bank’, and this is not what we want.
“Instead we must use our strength to ensure that Sabah and Sarawak do not lose out including by falling into the hands of the opposition which will not be able to bring development to the people but despair. Our strength also ensures that we can resolve social issues affecting the people,” said Dr Ongkili who is also PBS deputy president.
He said this when opening the PBS Kemabong Division AGM which was also attended by state Rural Development Minister Datuk Radin Malleh who is also Melalap assemblyman, party vice-president and PBS Tenom division chief.
Dr Ongkili also pointed out that it was important also for PBS to play its role as the second biggest Barisan Nasional party in Sabah and to do that, reinvention of the party to strengthen it must occur.
“One way is to increase membership as membership determines the strength of the party to represent the people. We welcome membership among the young people as we want more members with good ideas and active mind to solve the people’s problem,” he said.
Dr Ongkili added that the party leadership had started discussions in coming out with a blueprint to strengthen PBS which would be revealed to members soon. The blueprint would be based on feedback from members.
“What is crucial is that members are united and work together in order for our efforts to strengthen the party to materialise, as well as in strengthening our struggle for the people,” he said.