Kota Kinabalu: Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) Deputy President Datuk Seri Panglima Dr Yee Moh Chai expressed deep concern over the omission by Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) and Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) to field Chinese candidates in key constituencies.
He warned that the move sends a troubling message about the coalition’s commitment to genuine multiracial representation.
Dr Yee said the decision reflects a growing perception that PBS and GRS are becoming increasingly dependent on peninsula-based parties to secure Chinese votes — a shift that contradicts the founding principles of PBS as a truly multiracial, Sabah-based party.
“It is disappointing and worrying that PBS and GRS have chosen not to field Chinese candidates in areas traditionally seen as Chinese-majority seats. This shows a failure to understand grassroots sentiment, particularly the voices and concerns of Chinese voters,” he said.
Dr Yee said such decision risks alienating Chinese voters and inadvertently strengthening local opposition parties, which has fielded a significant number of Chinese candidates in urban areas, believed referring to Warisan and Star.
“Our leaders need to realise that support for local Sabah-based parties is growing louder each day.
“The majority of Chinese voters want to support local parties, but when we do not offer them credible candidates from their own community, we are leaving them with no choice but to vote for the opposing side,” he stressed.
He called on the GRS Presidential Council to urgently review its electoral strategy and reaffirm its commitment to inclusivity and genuine multiracialism.
“To ignore Chinese voters entirely is not only politically unwise — it goes against the very spirit of multiracial cooperation that PBS and GRS claim to uphold,” Dr Yee said.
