KOTA KINABALU, Oct 14 — Despite being continuously courted by Parti Warisan, Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) today reaffirmed its commitment to the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah/Barisan Nasional state government by choosing to go along with the coalition’s logo this election (GE15).
PBS president Datuk Seri Maximus Ongkili said the PBS logo was far more recognisable compared to the relatively new GRS logo, but would switch as a sign of solidarity to the new coalition.
“This is the decision of GRS, and we will comply with it.
“For unity and solidarity, we will use the GRS logo. There’s no harm in putting GRS first,” he told reporters after chairing a meeting with the party’s supreme council here.
Ongkili said making the switch was the right move as PBS is now part of the government and the coalition needed to show a strong front.
“It’s the solidarity behind the move that is important. But we will still be on the ground with our flag,” he said.
PBS had used its own logo for the first time in 16 years at the 2020 state election, after years of contesting under the BN logo.
Among the oldest parties still active today, PBS had won four state elections since it was established in 1985.
The first state election was held the very same year of its founding and the subsequent ones were in 1986, 1990 and 1994.
In 2002, the party rejoined the BN and contested using the coalition’s weighing scales logo for the 2004, 2009, 2013 and 2018 general elections.
GRS, a new entity born in 2020 to topple the then Warisan Plus government, was only formally registered as a coalition in March.
The other component parties are Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia, Sabah Progressive Party, Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku, United Sabah National Organisation and PBS.
They successfully formed the state government after the Sept 2020 polls with partners in BN, and will continue to work with BN in GE15 despite the falling out between PPBM and BN at a national level
Its chairman Datuk Hajiji Noor said that all the component parties in the GRS coalition will be contesting under its logo.
On seat sharing, Ongkili said that the party was still finalising their wishes following a meeting with the other GRS components last night.
