KIULU: Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) Premier Advisor Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan said avoiding clashes among Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) parties’ candidates is common sense in facing a common enemy.
“We have no information about it yet but as a political party we need to have strategy to defeat our common enemy,” he said.
Pairin said this when asked to comment on Perikatan Nasional (PN) secretary-general Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin that GRS has reached a consensus with its coalition partners to not compete against each other in the same state seats in the upcoming state election.
Met after lending support to PBS Kiulu candidate Datuk Joniston Bangkuai in Kampung Malanggang Baru here today, he however said the question of PBS pulling out from the election does not arise.
“We will look at the playing field and see if there is a need for us to work together,” he said while reiterating that in order to defeat a common enemy it might be necessary for several different teams to form only one team to fight the enemy.
“This is not conceding, we are not conceding (PBS seats) but in areas where we can cooperate we will do so,” he said.
Furthermore, he said it does not only apply to PBS but also to GRS partners like Star and the others.
Hamzah was reported by Utusan Malaysia as saying that he had asked some of the parties to withdraw their candidacy and told them how to do it.
He also said he met with Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (Star) president Datuk Jeffrey Kitingan and said the latter agreed there should not be clashes between the parties.
“Datuk Jeffrey was a gentleman and he agreed after discussions that Star and PBS should not clash with one another.
“God willing this matter can be settled before the 26th or as soon as possible, maybe Tuesday we can sort all this out and make a joint announcement,” he added.
The GRS is partnership between PN consisting of Star and PBBM (Bersatu), Barisan Nasional comprising of Umno, PBRS and MCA, and PBS.
At the end of nominations on Sept 12, GRS parties will face off against their own allies in nearly a quarter of the 73 seats up for contest, which would split their support against Warisan Plus.-Borneo Gazette
