Pairin handing over PBS membership cards to Peter, witnessed by Jake (second right).
KENINGAU: Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) president Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan has called for a study why most people supported the opposition in the 13th general election (GE13).
To him, this has been a challenge and an important reminder to leaders and members of PBS to find out why the people backed the opposition.
“GE13 was very critical to BN and PBS and we need to assess the weaknesses of the party in preparation for the next general election,” he said when opening the Bingkor and Liawan PBS annual general meeting (AGM) held at the community hall here.
Pairin, who is the Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Infrastructure Development, said he was not denying media reports about the political tsunami that befell the BN, and PBS needs to examine and be focused on why the people supported the opposition, especially the younger generation.
“What we had expected did not materialize and there were people who provided support for the opposition candidates, especially those who were relatively unknown.
“The ballot boxes ended up in favour of opposition candidates. Even the Bingkor chief could not explain why most of the people in the area have shifted their votes to opposition candidates. In anticipation of what we expect (victory), a setback happened instead,” he said.
Pairin, who is also the member of parliament for Keningau, added a lot of things that happened in the peninsula were brought into this state without due consideration whether it would bring good or bad to the people.
“The assistance given by the BN government was so much more compared to the promises offered by the opposition. We wonder why a lot of government aids given to our people were not even appreciated. Like aids to those less fortunate, to parents with children for education as well as contributions to schools, houses of worship, buildings and so on. All these were not appreciated. So I really want to know why, and what is it that would be appreciated by the voters. We should examine this deeper because anything that is done by the government, whoever is the government, would have no meaning at all, while our leaders, especially the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Tun Abdul Razak, are working in earnest endeavor and hard work to bring benefit and transformation to the people.
“The government has provided all the infrastructure, facilities and opportunities for the future, a home for the future, all this for the people. So what it all means is that all the assistance given were made from the prosperity brought by the leadership against the lofty promises made by the opposition that can even reach up to the sky but still remains only a promise which had yet to be fulfilled,” he said.
Pairin said every election held was carried out in accordance with the democratic process of an independent and sovereign country like Malaysia. However, he urged party members to learn from the experience of GE13 so that all weaknesses can be overcome before facing the GE14.
“What we want to do now is to prepare early to face GE14 by looking at the problems of the people, especially the young people, and solving it. I hope our party machinery will be able to do so because the party had existed for Malaysian and multiracial people since 1985,” he said.
He said the commitment and sacrifice of all members of PBS is needed to ensure continuity of the party’s struggle.
Pairin said PBS, as a mature political party, requires a political transformation in terms of organization, leadership and core struggle.
“I’m sure PBS will be able to adapt itself to the changing times and produce new blood to steer the party into the 21st century. Our struggle is not over yet. We need to continue to work hard to ensure that the rights and future of the state stays secure in the context of our participation in the Malaysia concept.
“We have vocalized and championed the establishment of the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) to investigate and address the issue of the presence of illegal immigrant in the state and we are grateful to the Prime Minister for meeting our demands,” he said.
Pairin said what is more important is that the rejoining of PBS into BN had produced mutual understanding and cooperation between the BN component parties to address common problems in the state.
He hoped the leaders and members of the PBS will remain united and continue the party struggle for the future of the people of this state.
About 300 delegates from both divisions including PBS deputy president Datuk Almudin Kaida, Bingkor PBS chief Peter Jino Alliun, Liawan PBS chief Datuk Jake Jikulin Nointin, members of PBS Central Supreme Council , Bingkor and Liawan committee members, Youth and Women, and Keningau BN leaders were present at the meeting.