PBS, Sabah STAR to co-host Christmas open house to mark start of cooperation

KOTA KINABALU: Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) and Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (Sabah STAR) will co-host a Christmas open house this year to mark the start of cooperation between the two parties.

This was among the matters raised during PBS last Supreme Council Meeting for this year held on Tuesday (Dec 12) at the party headquarters in Penampang.

PBS deputy president Datuk Seri Dr Joachim Gunsalam, who chaired the meeting, said the meeting also endorsed the joint committee between the two parties to discuss areas of close cooperation beneficial to both parties.

The committee is headed jointly by both party’s secretaries-general, Datuk Julita Majungki (PBS) and Datuk Edward Linggu (Sabah STAR), he said in a statement.

Earlier in November this year, it was reported that the two Sabah-based parties are beginning cooperation talks to strengthen unity at grassroots level in response to calls for sustainable cooperation, which is expected to further strengthen Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) bloc.

Meanwhile during the meeting, it was also announced that PBS President Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili has extended the Presidential Task Force until March 31 next year.

The six-person task force has been entrusted to run party affairs temporarily since June as 70-year-old Ongkili recuperates from suffering a stroke earlier this year.

Gunsalam said during the meeting, the Supreme Council members also discussed the recent amendments to the party’s constitution, which have yet to get the approval from the Registrar of Societies (RoS).

“Due to this, the meeting decided that for 2024, the current practice of having the annual general meetings (AGMs) for all branches and divisions will continue from January to June, culminating in the General Congress to be held later in 2024.

“The meeting also reiterated the commitment by PBS in fully supporting the current GRS-Pakatan Harapan (GRS-PH) state government led by Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor.

“PBS is also going to conduct an in-house retreat early next year to prepare the Supreme Council members and division heads for a possible early election,” Gunsalam added.