DONGONGGON: Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) has stepped up preparations for the general election at all its constituencies, including possible new seats if the added boundaries are approved in the coming parliamentary sitting.
The Sabah State Assembly has passed and gazetted the 13 new constituencies last year.
Its acting president, Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili said the party’s machineries at the 13 state and five parliamentary seats have been activated and “we have further raised the level of preparedness.”
PBS has voiced out its intention to the Barisan Nasional (BN) to claim at least six constituencies from the 13 new seats proposed by the Election Commission in its redelineation exercise.
Maximus opined that PBS as a multiracial party can do well in any constituency it is given by the BN leadership.
Meanwhile, at the meeting, the PBS Supreme Council urged the Sabah government to review its agreement with the Federal Land Development Authority (Felda) in Lahad Datu, also known as Felda Sahabat.
He said PBS branch members from the eastern part of Sabah have raised the issue on Felda Sahabat failing to deliver their agreement to provide settlement for landless Sabahans, especially the Kadazandusun and Murut communities.
He said some 400,000 hectares of land in Lahad Datu were identified for the programme to allow settlers to also enjoy their share from rubber or palm oil plantations under Felda.
“However, to date, only 25 per cent of the number are settled, what happened to the remaining 75 per cent?
“The original plan was to get 1,000 settlers. In the end, Felda did not proceed with the plan,” he said, adding that the government agency had stopped the programme.
As such, PBS is calling for the agreement to be reviewed and to ensure that Felda delivers its promises.