PRESS STATEMENT : DATUK HENRYNUS AMIN RESIGNED FROM PARTI BERSATU SABAH (PBS)

PRESS STATEMENT
1 May 2017

A NEW POLITICAL PARTY SET TO JOIN THE  POLITICAL SCENE IN SABAH

DATUK HENRYNUS AMIN RESIGNED FROM PARTI BERSATU SABAH (PBS)

KOTA KINABALU - Former PBS Secretary General, Datuk Henrynus Amin, has announced his resignation from PBS, a party he was a member since 1986, to accept nomination as the President of Parti Kerjasama Rakyat Sabah (PAKAR) during the party's AGM yesterday.

Henrynus who is also Momogun National Congress (MNC) President said he is returning to active politics after a three year absence to create a new political platform to pursue the original vision that PBS started 30 years ago.

Yesterday Henrynus accepted nomination and won uncontested as President of Parti Kerjasama Rakyat Sabah (PAKAR) proposed by founder President, Zainal Nasiruddin, who willingly relinquished his post to become Deputy President.

According to Henrynus, he arrived at the painful decision to leave PBS on 29 April 2017 and has informed PBS Secretary General of his decision through whatsapp the day before he decided to lead PAKAR.

Henrynus said by accepting a key post in a political party, he will be stepping down as MNC President as well to comply with MNC's constitutional requirements.

"I would be meeting senior MNC leaders soon to discuss the transition of leadership to my deputies in MNC," he said in a statement.

"I am fully aware of the fact there are already too many political parties in Sabah and the opposition looks a bit crowded. But voters generally have not made up their mind on their choice of a political party to vote," he said.

He said, based on his observation, majority of voters even though they are already party members are still undecided or still fence sitters waiting for the right choice to vote depending on the dynamics of emerging political issues.

"There are issues not articulated well by political parties from both sides of the political divide. So I am entering the political fray to reorganize issues and a new grassroots political movement to change the dynamics of opposition political strategy," he said.

Henrynus reiterated his readiness to engage other opposition groups to achieve the desired election results.

"But our options are open," he said pointing out his party's 5-point political agenda would be on the table.

"We support those who support our 5 core issues and ready to implement our 5 key demands," he said.

"I am leaving PBS with a heavy heart as it has been my only party since I joined politics in 1986," he said.

PBS, he said, has provided him the opportunity to serve the people of Sabah for which he was thankful.

"There are many good people in PBS. It has been a great honor to working with them all these years."

Henrynus took the opportunity to thank all those in PBS who have helped and supported him in one way or another.

"I am greatly indebted to them as individuals. To those still in PBS they are friends regardless of my party or political affiliation," he said.

PBS, he said, started as a good political party with the necessary ingredients to succeed. But PBS today is a political party trapped by its own success.

"PBS must address the growing grassroots discontents and get out of their comfort zone to enter the real fight PBS envisioned 30 years ago," he said.

He said PBS started with a noble vision 30 years ago and the people overwhelmingly supported PBS political ideals. But PBS supporters are beginning to doubt the party's ability to deliver promises made to the people of Sabah.

He said PBS has been harping on the same old issues for the last 30 years but produce no tangible results since PBS was rendered small, weak and powerless through divide and rule tactics.

"Many PBS supporters have grown tired and question the direction PBS has taken especially on issues the party promised to resolve but failed to act," he said.

He said, PBS could have been stronger if the party were to merge with UPKO and PBRS upon its reentry to BN to influence decisions.

"But a powerful group within PBS continue to oppose all efforts towards merger with UPKO and PBRS for reasons only known to them," he said.

PBS, he said, is steadily losing strength by its own doing.

PBS, he said, contested 13 state seats last General Election and lost 4 to the opposition and PBS also lost popular votes in almost all DUN and Parliamentary seats the party contested.

"There is very little confidence among PBS supporters the party can recover from its poor election results. There is even lower expectation PBS can deliver its election promises repeated over and over during election. In the 14th General Election, if PBS were to go against the tide of grassroots sentiments, the party might suffer more defeats," he said.

BACKGROUND INFO

For the record, Henrynus joined PBS in 1986 soon after graduating with a degree in political science from SIU-C Illinois  USA. He held various party positions during his tenure as PBS member.

He was PBS Kg Marakau Branch Chairman (1988 - 1994); PBS Youth EXCO Secretary (1989 - 1991); PBS Ranau Divisional Chairman (1994 - 1999); PBS Information Chief (1994 - 2005); PBS Supreme Council (2005 - 2009); and PBS Secretary General
(2009 - 2013)

Henrynus said he was nominated and contested for parliamentary seat of Kinabalu (now Ranau) under PBS ticket in 1995 and won. In 1999 Henrynus contested the state seat of Ranau but lost to then BN candidate.

Henrynus also held various appointment during his tenure as a PBS member.

He was Political Secretary to the Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (1987 - 1989); Political Secretary to Chief Minister of Sabah (1989 - 1994); Member of Parliament for Kinabalu (1995 - 1999); Board Member Lembaga Industri Getah Sabah (LIGS) 2004 - 2007; Member of National Service Training Council (Majlis Latihan Khidmat Negara) 2005 - 2015; Special Officer for Parliamentary Affairs to Minister of Science Technology and Innovation (2008 - 2009);  Chairman Lahad Datu Flour Mill (Subsidiary of SEDCO) 2010 - 2017.