TUARAN: The upcoming political cooperation in Sabah will be determined by the people, not Umno, said Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) Information Chief Datuk Joniston Bangkuai.
Last week, Sabah Umno Chief Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin said the party would not cooperate with PBS.
"Bung Moktar is my friend. But that's enough. Let him do what he wants and let us do what we want.
"There is no need to say we won't cooperate with PBS. We will not be guided by Umno. Instead, we will be guided by the wishes of the people," said Bangkuai, who is also Kiulu assemblyman, after launching the Pekan Kiulu Kaamatan festival here.
"If we keep fighting like this, what will happen? When we are so disunited, that is when certain quarters will take advantage of us. We will become weak and unable to achieve our goals.
"We know that Bung Moktar is a Sabahan. He is from Umno, and he is the leader of Sabah. Let us work together to ensure our (Sabah's) rights so we can achieve our goals in (fighting for) the Malaysia Agreement 1963."
When asked whether PBS shared the same sentiment as Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku Sabah and Parti Cinta Sabah, calling voters to support local parties to continue governing the state, Bangkuai said it was clear that people wanted to see what was happening in Sarawak, where the state government is led by local parties.
He added that PBS has always been a local party and had won in three elections, including in 1994, when it faced Umno and other parties under the Barisan Nasional coalition.
"We won. But are we being accused of being traitors? When PBS was in power, we were mistreated. PBS was not treated as the state government. So, who is the real traitor?
"If Umno is really for Malaysia, it should come to Sarawak. Why did Sarawak reject Umno? So don't talk too much. Don't be too arrogant."