PETALING JAYA: Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) announced today that its president Maximus Ongkili will go on leave effective June 1.
PBS secretary-general Julita Majungki said the party’s deputy president Joachim Gunsalam, who is Sabah deputy chief minister, will take over as acting president, Bernama reported.
She said that information chief Joniston Bangkuai will then shoulder the additional responsibility of acting deputy president.
Julita said the move demonstrates the party’s commitment to ensuring there is continuity in the leadership hierarchy, in order to better serve the interests of the party and its members.
In June 2022, Ongkili, the former four-term Kota Marudu MP, set a three-year timeframe to identify his successor as party president, adding that a leadership transition could happen before or during the next party congress.
PBS, which is part of the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah alliance governing Sabah, has seven assemblymen.
On Wednesday, Gunsalam said that PBS and Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (STAR) are set to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to formalise their collaboration.
Last November, it was reported that PBS and STAR had agreed to start formal negotiations focussed on building understanding and cooperation.
STAR president Jeffrey Kitingan had revived the idea of a merger with PBS, describing it as one way to strengthen the two Kadazandusun Murut-based parties.
Kitingan said the idea of a merger had been floated since the 2020 state election.
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