MATUNGGONG: Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) is confident of recapturing Matunggong for Barisan Nasional, a seat it lost to Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) in the last election.
Describing it as a winnable seat and PBS stronghold, the party’s acting president Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Maximus explained that the grassroots had bitter experiences for having an opposition assemblyman who cannot plan nor deliver development to the people.
“In fact, many opposition members have returned to the BN through component parties,” he said, addressing some 600 people who attended the meet-the-people session at it multipurpose hall here yesterday.
He said Matunggong still has basic needs to be met such as clean water and electricity supply for remote villages, upgrading of rural roads, as well as rural housing, including reconstruction of Rungus longhouses.
“These programmes can only be delivered by the government. The opposition can only make noise and complain,” he said.
At the programme, Maximus also urged Matunggong voters to learn from past mistakes of disunity and being easily swayed by opposition propaganda.
“There are solid momogun people here, so there is no reason we cannot win this seat, but we need to be united. If we are not united, we will fall,” stressed the Kota Marudu Member of Parliament.
Maximus, who is also the Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister, said when Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan passed the leadership baton, the Huguan Siou (Kadazandusun Paramount Leader) had entrusted him to recapture not only the Matunggong seat, but five others namely Kadamaian, Inanam, Api-Api, Sri Tanjung and Tamparuli.
“PBS is determined to win all these seats, so all need to be united, get our election machinery ready and work hard from now, regardless when is the election,” he concluded.