Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS) is expected to gain 10,000 new members following a mass exodus from Parti Cinta Sabah (PCS). - NSTP/ MOHD ADAM ARININ
Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS) is expected to gain 10,000 new members following a mass exodus from Parti Cinta Sabah (PCS). - NSTP/ MOHD ADAM ARININ

KOTA KINABALU: Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS) is expected to gain 10,000 new members following a mass exodus from Parti Cinta Sabah (PCS).

Among those expected to join PBRS are former PCS leaders including Datuk Seri Wilfred Bumburing and Datuk Ewon Ebin.

Wilfred, who led the mass exodus from PCS last month, said former party members made the joint decision to join PBRS for its friendship virtues and its continued fight for the Sabah people.

"The decision is based on the confidence that PBRS, although not as big as other parties, is nevertheless consistent in its fight.

"When Barisan Nasional lost in the 14th General Election, PBRS never left it," he said during the handover of membership forms ceremony to PBRS president Tan Sri Joseph Kurup here.

He added the 10,000 members was an estimation based on the members at different zones in Sabah.

After today, the former state and federal lawmakers will plan similar programmes at several places such as Tuaran, Ranau, Kota Marudu, Beaufort, Keningau and a few other districts.

Wilfred also claimed that former members from United Progressive Kinabalu Organisation and other parties will follow suit in joining PBRS.

"I want to state that today, on behalf of those who submitted their membership application forms, they are willing to join PBRS without any condition.

"We intend to contribute, strengthen and expand PBRS to be a party on par or bigger than other local-based parties in Sabah and become a respectable component in Barisan Nasional."

The former PCS deputy president cited their exodus due to the bleak future and inefficient management within the party led by former foreign minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman.

Despite losing all contested seats in the last state election, Wilfred said the party did not do anything to improve connection among supreme council members and others.

"I would like to take this opportunity to deny the allegation that leaders who quit the party (PCS) was due to losing positions after the latest reshuffle. The appointment of the supreme council was being done without following the constitution."

He added that members were in the dark on their status as none of the membership forms was processed.