PENAMPANG: Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) has identified at least six constituencies out of the 13 new seats proposed by the Election Commission in its redelineation exercise that it wants to contest in.
According to its executive deputy president, Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili, although it is still too early to know if the 13 new constituencies will be approved by the Election Commission, PBS has made its intention known to the Barisan Nasional (BN) leadership.
He, however, opined that PBS as a multi-racial party can do well in any constituency it is given by the BN leadership.
“We have submitted our indication (but) it is still a bit too early because the Election Commission has yet to confirm the boundaries. They have held their hearing (but) they have yet to publish the new proposal.
“So, until that is made public, everything is still based on tentative speculation. Until they announce… because people are requesting for change of name, change of boundary so it is a little bit too premature but based on composition I think easily PBS can (win).
“We will be submitting about six seats where we know are traditional strongholds. However, we will wait for the second round of the public display and then formally make our submission. I have had a discussion with Datuk Seri Musa Aman as well as other leaders and Tan Sri Pairin has also spoken (to them on the matter),” he said.
Speaking to reporters after officiating at the PBS’ Women and Youth’s annual delegates convention here yesterday, Maximus was asked if PBS is confident of winning in the six new seats it is asking for.
“Of course we can win in the seats which we propose. What is the use to ask for the seats if we cannot deliver? Winnable because (it is) traditionally our seats, winnable because of the composition of PBS’ membership, that we are a multi-racial party, winnable because we have identified possible people that can carry the flag and win for Barisan Nasional (BN) but we have not publicly disclosed this,” he pointed out.
He added that PBS can do well because of the presence of the party in the constituency and that it has serviced the area for a long time.
“Like the proposed Telupid seat, it is from the Labuk constituency, which is Datuk Seri Panglima Michael Asang’s constituency. (PBS) has never lost since 1985 so who else to contest there.
“You want sure delivery, first choice should be us (PBS) but being in the BN we are willing also to compromise and talk with the leadership because they may have other priorities which we will be happy to discuss and to contribute our view to reach a consensus. Bottom line is the ability to deliver,” he stressed.
“We are confident of getting the seats we are requesting. We will, of course, discuss and reach a consensus with the BN leadership. I don’t think that any component party is confident that they will get 100 per cent of what they ask (for). But we need to ask and we need to discuss, we need to be realistic also on our ability or the ability of other parties to deliver.
“So we leave it to the leadership at the end of the day but we want to make sure that we have sufficient role to play to deliver the new seats to BN. Meanwhile we will work hard to win back the seats which we lost.
“We are confident in the traditional areas that we have always won. No reason to have lost, not because we did not have enough support but because there was sabotage internally and from outside as well. So we can learn from that bitter experience,” Maximus said.
Meanwhile, on the opposition’s claim that the BN leadership does not pay heed to its component parties’ requests, especially on the matter of illegal immigrants and issuance of Malaysian identity cards to them, Maximus replied, “the federal government has not said no, so we will continue to explore and make our voice on the matter.”
He also touched on the Sabah-based opposition parties which are now saying that they are championing for the people of Sabah and their rights.
“Parties like Warisan, Harapan, Parti Cinta Sabah and Sabah STAR, what they are championing is basic to our Constitution which states’ Mempertahankan hak hak dan kepentingan negeri Sabah’ (defending the rights and interest of the state).
“To us, this is what we have been doing for 31 years. So what they are saying that they want to do is nothing new, it has always been here in PBS,” he stressed.
He also said that PBS will organize programs like seminars at the divisions starting with areas that it lost in the 13th general election and places it is claiming.
“We will not name (the seats) now but you can see from the programs PBS will be organizing will be in places where we have traditionally been like Telupid, Mengaris, Dambai, or Langkon which comes from my parliamentary constituency.
“I don’t want to mention too many but where we have the basis. We do not simply pluck from the air, it is based on our historical service in these areas, number of membership, winnability of our potential candidates,” he said.