Malaysian United Indigenous Party of Sabah

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Malaysian United Indigenous Party of Sabah
Malay nameParti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia Sabah
ڤرتي ڤريبومي برساتو مليسيا سابه
Chinese name沙巴土著团结党
沙巴土著團結黨
Shābā Tǔzhù Tuánjié Dǎng
Tamil nameபிபிபீஏம் (மலேசிய ஐக்கிய மக்கள் கட்சி)
Malēciya aikkiya makkaḷ kaṭci
AbbreviationSabah BERSATU / Sabah PPBM
ChairmanRonald Kiandee
FounderMahathir Mohamad
Muhyiddin Yassin
Hajiji Noor
Founded6 April 2019; 5 years ago (2019-04-06)
Split fromPHRS
UMNO Sabah
Succeeded byGAGASAN (2022) (under Hajiji Noor)
National affiliationPakatan Harapan (2019–2020)
Perikatan Nasional (since 2020)
Regional affiliationGabungan Rakyat Sabah (2020–2022)
Colours    Red and white
SloganBersatu, Beramanah, Bermaruah
(United, Trustworthy, Dignified)
Dewan Negara Malaysia
0 / 70
Dewan Rakyat Malaysia
1 / 25
(Sabah seats)
Sabah State Legislative Assembly
0 / 79
Chief ministers in Malaysia
(Sabah Chief Minister)
0 / 13
Election symbol
Party flag

Malaysian United Indigenous Party of Sabah (Malay: Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia Sabah), also abbreviated as Sabah BERSATU or sometimes written as Sabah PPBM, is a branch of a political party in Sabah, Malaysia.[1] Before the mass resignations of the members of the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) and the entire leadership of Sabah BERSATU from the party in December 2022, Sabah BERSATU was already split from the central leadership of Malaysian United Indigenous Party (BERSATU) in their political affiliations at the federal level. It was the only branch of BERSATU that moved without direction from the central leader. This party was led and directed by Hajiji Noor and was built independently in political affiliations after the approval of the GRS registration.[2] The branch of the party, together with other component parties of the GRS coalition, partnered with Barisan Nasional (BN) in the 2022 general election, contrary to the rest of BERSATU, which contested under the Perikatan Nasional (PN), opposing BN.[3]

History[edit]

Political status of the branch[edit]

Based on the statement of BERSATU Vice President Ronald Kiandee, the position of Sabah BERSATU is not similar to that of BERSATU. This happened after the formation of the Sabah coalition state government through a combination of several local parties and BN which was later known as GRS+BN. BERSATU is the founder of PN at the national level, but there are parties in GRS that are not component parties of Perikatan Nasional. In Sabah itself, BN is not a component coalition of GRS such as the United Sabah Party (PBS), Homeland Solidarity Party (STAR) and BERSATU. However, BN is only an associate of GRS as BN did not allow it to join another political coalition as a component coalition. [4]

Mass resignations of GRS members and Sabah BERSATU leadership from the party[edit]

On 10 December 2022, GRS Chairman and Sabah BERSATU Chairman Hajiji led and announced the mass resignations of GRS members and the entire leadership of Sabah BERSATU from the party. He also announced that they would form a new local party together in future. Following this, GRS has officially severed ties with BERSATU and PN. At the moment, they remained in GRS as direct members. Hajiji gave explanations on the opposing political affiliations of BERSATU at the national and state levels following the 2022 general election that have made the status quo no longer tenable mainly due to that Sabah BERSATU led by him was the federal government but national BERSATU led by Muhyiddin Yassin was the federal opposition.[5][6] After the announcement, media reports suggested that Sabah BERSATU had collapsed or been dissolved. However, BERSATU Deputy President Ahmad Faizal Azumu denied the suggestion, stating that there were many Sabah BERSATU members who did not follow the footsteps and path of the GRS members. He also stressed that Sabah BERSATU would remain to exist and its leadership would be restructured by remaining members.[7] One of those is BERSATU Vice President, Beluran BERSATU Division Chief and Beluran MP Ronald Kiandee who was dropped by GRS to contest in the 2022 general election and won by contesting using the PN ticket, which that was a component coalition of GRS. Despite being in Sabah BERSATU who was in GRS, he was not considered as a GRS member due to his difference in personal political affiliation with GRS and the PN but not GRS ticket he used to contest in the election. He proved the scenario by clarifying that he would remain in Sabah BERSATU and had not left the party together with GRS. He also reiterated the statement of Ahmad Faizal. Ronald became the sole Sabah BERSATU MP and the sole Sabah MP who does not support the federal government.[8] The act has left significant changes in the politics of the nation and Sabah. For instances, GRS had been turned into a Sabah local political coalition like the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) of Sarawak as BERSATU who was previously its component party is a national party, Sabah PN was left with only a component party, the Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) led by Yong Teck Lee. However, Yong would also support the federal government as well as the Sabah BERSATU had also dissolved its leadership, lost majority of its members that are in GRS, control of the Sabah coalition state government and a minister, six of its MPs, all of its Senators as well as its MLAs. This has indicated that Sabah BERSATU was only seriously weakened instead of being dissolved or having collapsed. Sabah BERSATU also had a political affiliation and became the federal opposition after the resignations of GRS members who were in the federal government. It is also believed that it would reuse the name of PN instead of GRS to refer to Sabah BERSATU given that they shared similar political affiliations after the act. The act has raised questions on whether it is considered as an act of party-hopping as this would affect the qualifications of the six GRS MPs as they were involved in leaving the party which has possibly breached the anti-party hopping law that was in effect after being passed by the Parliament and applying to the MPs. MPs found to have done so must resign and vacate their seats for by-elections to be held to elect new MPs and fill the seats. However, the usage of GRS ideology ticket, the GRS direct members constitution and the usage of GRS election budget is the main reason why the former Sabah BERSATU MPs doesn't need to vacate their seats and this statement was confirmed by parliamentary speaker and also confirmed by the Malaysia court. Their seats was remained as GRS's official parliamentary seats for 5 years.

List of leaders[edit]

List of Chairmen[edit]

No. Portrait Chairmen Term start Term end Time in office Deputy Chairmen
1 Hajiji Noor
(born 1956)
MLA for Sulaman, since 1990
6 April 2019 10 December 2022 3 years, 248 days Masidi Manjun
(2019–2022)
During this interval, the position was vacant. (10–11 December 2022)
2 Ronald Kiandee
(born 1961)
MP for Beluran, since 1999
11 December 2022 Incumbent 1 year, 141 days Aksyah Nasrah

Elected representatives[edit]

Dewan Rakyat (House of Representatives)[edit]

Members of Parliament of the 15th Malaysian Parliament[edit]

Sabah BERSATU has 1 member in the House of Representatives.

State No. Parliament Constituency Member
 Sabah P183 Beluran Ronald Kiandee
Total Sabah (1)

General election results[edit]

Election Total seats won Seats contested Total votes Voting Percentage Outcome of election Election leader
2022
5 / 222
6 (under GRS) (Sabah except Beluran)
1 (under PN) (Beluran)
105,388 0.68% Decrease1 seats; Governing coalition
(Gabungan Rakyat Sabah)
later Opposition coalition
(Perikatan Nasional)
Hajiji Noor
(resigned)
Ronald Kiandee election leader in Beluran only
(opposition)

State election results[edit]

State election State Legislative Assembly
Sabah Total won / Total contested
2/3 majority
2 / 3
2 / 3
2020
(under GRS ticket)
11 / 73
11 / 21

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ JalinLuin, JalinLuin (20 May 2022). "Bersatu Sabah Berbeza Dengan Bersatu Semenanjung". JALINLUIN.COM. Retrieved 3 December 2022.
  2. ^ JalinLuin, JalinLuin (20 May 2022). "Bersatu Sabah Berbeza Dengan Bersatu Semenanjung". JALINLUIN.COM. Retrieved 3 December 2022.
  3. ^ "GRS mahu terus kerjasama dengan BN pada PRU15". 25 September 2022.
  4. ^ JalinLuin, JalinLuin (20 May 2022). "Bersatu Sabah Berbeza Dengan Bersatu Semenanjung". JALINLUIN.COM. Retrieved 3 December 2022.
  5. ^ "Sabah Bersatu members quit patty en masse". The Star. 10 December 2022. Retrieved 10 December 2022.
  6. ^ "Speculation abounds of Sabah Bersatu members transiting into GRS". The Star. 8 December 2022. Retrieved 10 December 2022.
  7. ^ "'Restructuring' in Sabah Bersatu following exodus of leaders, says Ahmad Faizal". The Star. 10 December 2022. Retrieved 10 December 2022.
  8. ^ "Kiandee staying put with Sabah Bersatu despite exodus led by Hajiji". The Star. 10 December 2022. Retrieved 10 December 2022.

Media related to Malaysian United Indigenous Party of Sabah at Wikimedia Commons