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KOTA KINABALU: PBS has raised an objection to having a PAS member as part of the Sabah state assembly, saying there is no basis for the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah state government to consider such a proposal.
PBS Chairman Maximus Ongkili said his party had conveyed its views to Perikatan Nasional Chairman Muhyiddin Yassin and the Chairman of the State Coalition and Chief Minister Hajiji Noor on the call to appoint a representative. of the Islamist party in the state assembly.
Under the state constitution, the state government can appoint up to six nominated members to the state assembly. The ruling Gabungan Rakyat Sabah alliance has 38 seats in the 73-member assembly.
Ongkili said the party’s views express the misgivings and concerns of the Sabahan public and the need to consider the broader legal and political implications of the proposed appointment.
He said that no one was in a position to block the participation of any party if it was involved in the political process and the association of a coalition that had been formed for the purpose of winning the elections and in the eventual formation of the government.
“But in the case of the PAS, the fact is that they did not contest or win any seats (in the Sabah elections). It is our considered opinion that any appointment under the provision of the nominee assemblymen position or any subsequent government appointment to PAS does not deserve consideration by GRS.
“I am confident that the prime minister will consider all these issues, including the concerns and sensitivities of the various religious groups in Sabah. For PBS, our opinion is simple: follow the law. Practice the principles of respect for the beliefs of others and promote peace and unity among the people even though we have differences in religious beliefs, culture and even political affiliation, ”said Ongkili, who is also the federal minister for Sabah affairs. and Sarawak.
Sabah DAP leaders have expressed concern over rumors that a PAS member would be named as one of six nominated assembly members and later appointed as a state cabinet minister.
This was amplified after Barisan Nasional general secretary Annuar Musa posted on Twitter yesterday that he hoped PAS, a political ally in Muafakat Nasional, would get a nominated assemblyman seat.
Sabah DAP Secretary Chan Foong Hin had claimed that Sabahans in general had rejected the Islamist party, claiming that the PAS’s “extremism” would be detrimental to harmony in Sabah.
Ongkili, who is a Kota Marudu MP, noted that opinions on the issue had been speculative for now, as there had been no confirmation of any decision by Hajiji or GRS that PBS had been part of.
He said that although PBS is a partner of GRS, discussions about the imminent role of PAS took place between PPBM and Barisan Nasional. “Such discussions were outside the purview of PBS,” he said.
There have been no discussions in the governing coalition that PBS has been a part of. “However, PBS has been following the public discussion about PAS involvement in the political administration of the state,” he said.
