Pairin's Mixed Legacy

Sabah's former Chief Minister Joseph Pairin Kitingan has finally made the decision to leave politics for good. 

Pairin is synonymous with Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS), a multiracial party he founded in 1985. Pairin would be best remembered for winning the Tambunan by-election against the mighty Berjaya party and subsequently the 1985 and 1986 state elections - a period in Sabah politics marked by betrayals, mayhem in the capital city of Kota Kinabalu, and dramatic incidents in the Istana. Many would also remember Pairin for handing over power in a gentlemanly manner to UMNO in 1994 - an act that earned him respect from his comrades and foes alike. Pairin has personal qualities that very few politicians have: loyal, tactful and forgiving.

In delivering his farewell speech at the PBS 33rd party congress, Pairin took the opportunity to admonish United Pasok Momogun Kadazandusun Organisation (UPKO) for its act of  "betrayal" in the aftermath of the GE14.

There are reasons why Pairin was upset about UPKO. 

Pairin knew that multiracialism was the way forward for Sabah and democracy as an attractive ideology to sell to Sabah's diverse society. PBS was formed based on these core principles. Together with Joseph Kurup (PBRS President), Bernard Dompok (UPKO founding President) and others, he formed PBS in 1985. But PBS that led the Sabah Government from 1985-1994 was removed from power after a spate of resignations from party leaders to form PBRS, SAPP and PDS (later UPKO). To date only PBRS remains in Gabungan Bersatu Sabah with PBS.

Pairin could have retired in style if he pushed for reforms in PBS and chose not to contest in GE14. But changes in PBS were painfully slow, resulting in the party losing its appeal among the key ethnic groups in Sabah including the Kadazandusun. When he decided to contest in GE14 and lost to his younger brother Jeffrey in Tambunan, it only reaffirmed the fact that the Huguan Siou (Paramount Leader of the Kadazandusun) was gradually losing his popularity as political leader.

Now PBS is left with Dr Maximus Ongkili and a handful of Pairin's loyal supporters in the party. All eyes are on Dr Maximus on what he will do next to rejuvenate PBS. PBS can leverage on its decisive win in one Muslim Bumiputera and five Kadazandusun seats in GE14 to position itself as a formidable player in Sabah.

To remain relevant in Sabah's changing political landscape, here are the areas where Dr Maximus has to tackle head-on:

1. To improve the party's image and attract more new members. PBS has strong and very appealing core struggles but it has failed in convincing the young people to join the party. Dr Max's challenge is to make the party more attractive to young professionals and graduates. There are many young people who are attracted to PBS' progressive platform but are discouraged by the old guards' lukewarm attitude towards them. It is easier for PBS to lure the young people as it has a broader policy outlook and experience to represent the multiracial Sabah but the question is, is the party ready to allow fresh and young blood to be part of PBS' rejuvenation programme? If Warisan has Jo-Anna Rampas and Darell Leiking, and UPKO Ewon Benedict, Nelson Angang, Felix Saang, etc, who are the emerging young leaders in PBS? 

2. To increase the number of non- Kadazandusun members in the party. As it is now, PBS is heavily Kadazandusun even though it espouses multiracialism. No non-Kadazandusun or non-Christian has ever been elected president. And more non-Kadazandusun and Chinese members are abandoning PBS to join other parties. To make the party more attractive, it should improve its multiracial composition and more drastically, amend the constitution to allow the party's president to be rotated among the key ethnic groups in Sabah. 

3. PBS should talk more about economic issues ie how to create employment for young Sabahans, how to make Sabah an attractive place for investments, etc. This will not deviate PBS from its core regional struggles. PBS can make a lot of difference if it can relate the MA63, autonomy, Sabah's constitutional rights with people's daily needs. Dr Max should take on the Sabah issues not as an academician and but as a policymaker.

Source: https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2018/11/15/pairin-delivers-emotional-goodbye-speech/ fbclid=IwAR1MYublr1NbAWrVpB6KkYxdueX3CGCsjVLWhBYAg890l1E3kSJuPSdeKUY