KOTA KINABALU: Barisan Nasional’s (BN) decision to collaborate with Pakatan Harapan (PH) for the next Sabah state election is the best formula, said Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS) president Datuk Arthur Joseph Kurup.
He said PBRS, a component party of BN, views the collaboration as the right step to maintain the Unity Government formula, which has proven to guarantee the country’s stability and prosperity.
“The BN-PH consensus has been reflected in the strong relationship between the leadership of the Unity Government, led by BN-PH at the federal level, along with cooperation from other political parties, as seen in the Nenggiri and Mahkota by-elections,“ he said in a statement today.
According to Arthur, Malaysia is currently enjoying positive development momentum, and it is crucial to maintain the existing unity and stability through this proven, strong political cooperation, which is the best option for both Sabah and Malaysia.
Earlier, UMNO president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi was reported as saying that UMNO had decided to work with PH in the next Sabah state election.
Ahmad Zahid, who is also BN chairman, said both central and Sabah UMNO have also agreed for Sabah BN to follow the cooperation formula practised at the federal level.
Meanwhile, Sabah UMNO Information chief Datuk Suhaimi Nasir expressed confidence that the BN-PH alliance will be in place for the 17th Sabah state election, though several matters still need to be fine-tuned.
“I am also confident that the leadership of Sabah BN and Sabah PH will sit together to discuss the best mechanism and approach for facing the Sabah state election,” he added.
He further said that the BN-PH cooperation in Sabah is expected to deliver positive results in the state election, fostering political stability.