Tan Sri
Joseph Pairin Kitingan (second from left) and his party, who have
discovered the benefits of harmony within the state Barisan Nasional led
by Datuk Seri Musa Aman (left), with other BN component leaders at the
PBS Hari Raya Aidilfitri open house last year.
ADECADE after it rejoined the Barisan Nasional (BN), Parti
Bersatu Sabah (PBS) can look back with a sense of satisfaction that it
made the right decision.
Known for being vocal to the extent of being branded as confrontational
and parochial when raising issues involving the state, the party's
decision to return to the BN's fold did not come easy. It had to
consider the feelings and sentiments of its supporters who appeared
content with the party's vocal stance, although such an approach proved
fruitless.
In fact, the PBS had endeared itself to the people
because it was vociferous. Formed 27 years ago, the PBS, which was in
power in Sabah from 1985 to 1994, ditched the BN on the eve of the 1990
general election.
Although the PBS successfully won the state
election in 1994 albeit with a simple majority, barely two months later
it had to surrender power to the BN after several of its assemblymen
joined Umno.
The next eight years before its return to the BN
family in 2002 made the party realise that it had to change its approach
when presenting its case to the Federal Government on issues pertaining
to the interest of the state and the people. The party had come to
accept that being vocal does not necessarily bring the desired results.
In fact, such a stance had only led to animosity and given rise to
suspicion, to the detriment of the party.
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