Joseph Kitingan hits campaign trail to garner support for PBS

Former Sabah chief minister Joseph Pairin Kitingan has hit the campaign trail to garner support for Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) candidates today.

The PBS founder first went to Kiulu, a party stronghold since its formation in 1985. In the evening, he travelled to Moyog, a semi-urban state seat under the Penampang federal constituency which was won by Warisan's Ignatius Darell Leiking in 2018.

In his 45-minute speech at Kiulu, Pairin (above, middle) reminded a crowd of about 150 how the party founded by him rose to power to fight a "cruel" state government.

"There was a restriction on religious (freedom) and influx of illegal immigrants. The people were uneasy. PBS was created by the people to fight cruelty and injustice," he said.

He also elaborated how at the time PBS was considered an opposition party, so when they took over the state government after the 1985 election, they were "harassed" by the federal government.

In the current state polls, he said PBS is on a mission to save Sabah from the issues of security and illegal immigrants.

Those in attendance during Pairin's speech looked to be a mostly middle-aged group who were clad in white party shirts and white caps. They listened quietly to him and nodded often.

The event also saw in attendance about 10 village heads who were previously appointed by the Warisan state government but have since joined PBS.

One elderly audience member also met with Pairin and showed his PBS cap which he had kept for 35 years.

PBS first rose to power in Sabah in 1985 as an opposition party but had lost some shine after joining the ruling BN. This time around, the party is opting to use its own logo in the state election and is harping on state pride and illegal immigrant issues.

Pairin, who is the Huguan Siou (paramount leader) of the Kadazan-Dusun-Murut (KDM) community, looked to be taking over the role as star campaigner for PBS candidates in the absence of his nephew and PBS president Maximus Johnity Ongkili.

The 80-year-old appeared to hold sway on party affairs as he rejected the notion that PBS might withdraw from contesting in the state polls. This was after Perikatan Nasional (PN) secretary-general Hamzah Zainudin said Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) allies agreed not to contest against each other in 17 seats.

Read more: Sabah Decides 2020: Making sense of the players, parties and battles

Pairin was speaking in Kiulu - the state constituency is being contested by two-term incumbent PBS state assemblyperson Joniston Bangkuai.

Joniston is being challenged by incumbent Sabah deputy chief minister Wilfred Madius Tangau in a six-cornered fight.

According to a party official, Pairin first began campaigning in Tulid, a new state seat created under the Pensiangan parliamentary seat.

Pensiangan is firmly held by Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS) deputy president Arthur Joseph Kurup (photo) who won the seat for the BN coalition in the past three general elections.

The party official also said Pairin will go to Tamparuli, Inanam, and Limbahau tomorrow.

It is learned that the PBS leader may also go to his party's birthplace at Tambunan, a state seat firmly held by Pairin himself until the 2018 polls when he lost to his brother Jeffrey Kitingan of the Homeland Solidarity Party (Star).

Follow Malaysiakini's coverage of the Sabah state election here.