United Sabah People's Party
United Sabah People's Party | |
|---|---|
| Malay name | Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah |
| Abbreviation | PBRS |
| President | Arthur Joseph Kurup |
| Secretary-General | Richard Kastum |
| Spokesperson | Rayner Francis Udong |
| Deputy President | Richard Kastum |
| Youth Leader | Edwin Laimin |
| Vice President | Motusin Matius Bowie Nomrin Rosnie Manain Vincen Lee Zhamriee Gilam Rasul Fung Hon Yi Jessel CP Yansalang Zainon Kayum |
| Founder | Joseph Kurup |
| Founded | 3 March 1994[1] |
| Legalised | 11 March 1994 |
| Split from | United Sabah Party (PBS) |
| Headquarters | Blok B, Lot 19, Tingkat Dua, Lorong Singgah Mata 2, Asia City, 88000 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah |
| Youth wing | Youth Section |
| Women's wing | Women Section |
| Ideology | |
| Political position | Centre-right |
| National affiliation | Barisan Nasional (1994–2018), (since 2020) United Alliance (2018–2020) |
| Colours | Yellow |
| Dewan Negara: | 0 / 70 |
| Dewan Rakyat: | 1 / 26 (Sabah and Labuan seats) |
| Sabah State Legislative Assembly: | 1 / 79 |
| Website | |
| Facebook PBRS | |
| Part of a series on |
| Conservatism in Malaysia |
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The United Sabah People's Party (Malay: Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah; PBRS) is a Sabah-based political party in Malaysia. The party was founded in 1994 as a splinter of the United Sabah Party (PBS) by Joseph Kurup, leading the party from its foundation to 2023. PBRS had been a component party of Barisan Nasional (BN) since its founding, except for a brief period between 2018 and 2020. Presently, the party is led by the founder's son, Arthur Joseph Kurup.
History
The party was formed on 11 March 1994 by founding president Joseph Kurup who had led disaffected members of the United Sabah Party (PBS). On 10 June 1994, PBRS was officially accepted as one of the component parties in the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition.[2]
Following the 2018 general election that saw the collapse of the BN ruling coalition, PBRS president Joseph Kurup declared the party's intention to quit BN as a component. The decision was announced to the public after receiving approval from the party's Supreme Council on 12 May 2018.[3][4][5] In the aftermath, PBRS applied to become a component of the new ruling Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition under the pretext of ensuring the fulfillment of its election promises. However, the application was ignored, followed by a statement from then Sabah PH chief Christina Liew that PBRS had a 'very slim chance' to join the coalition. Faced with rejection, PBRS decided to remain with BN before forming a new coalition with other Sabah-based parties known as the United Alliance of Sabah (Gabungan Bersatu Sabah, GBS).[6][7][8]
In the wake of the 2020–2022 Malaysian political crisis that resulted in the collapse of the PH federal government, PBRS attended the Barisan Nasional Supreme Council meeting on 12 May 2020 after a 2-year lapse, deciding to rejoin the coalition whose components at the time were left with UMNO, MCA and MIC. Barisan Nasional had decided to declare support for the new Perikatan Nasional (PN) federal government led by Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.[9] PBRS Deputy President and sole party MP, Arthur Joseph Kurup, was appointed as the Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department for Economic Affairs in the BN-supported Muhyiddin cabinet.[10] BN secretary-general Annuar Musa declared that, as the coalition Supreme Council meeting was attended by PBRS president Joseph Kurup himself, it implicates the return of PBRS as a BN component party.[11] On 9 January 2021, Arthur Joseph Kurup signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to set-up Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS), a Sabah-based political alliance which contested and won the 2020 Sabah state election, forming the state government under Hajiji Noor.[12][13] On 7 January 2023, Joseph Kurup stepped down as the 1st PBRS president and became the Honorary Chairman of PBRS after helming the party for 29 years from its formation in 1994 to 2023. Party deputy president and his son, Arthur Joseph Kurup, succeeded him as the 2nd party president.[14]
Leadership
President
| No. | Name | Term of office | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joseph Kurup | 3 March 1994 | 7 January 2023 |
| 2 | Arthur Joseph Kurup | 7 January 2023 | Incumbent |
Elected representatives
Dewan Rakyat (House of Representatives)
Members of Parliament of the 15th Malaysian Parliament
PBRS currently has only one member in the House of Representatives.
| State | No. | Parliament Constituency | Member | Party | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sabah | P182 | Pensiangan | Arthur Joseph Kurup | PBRS | ||
| Total | Sabah (1) | |||||
Dewan Undangan Negeri (State Legislative Assembly)
Malaysian State Assembly Representatives
Sabah State Legislative Assembly
| State | No. | State Constituency | Member | Party | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sabah | N45 | Sook | Arthur Joseph Kurup | PBRS | ||
| Total | Sabah (1) | |||||
Government offices
Ministerial posts
| Portfolio | Office Bearer | Constituency |
|---|---|---|
| Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability | Arthur Joseph Kurup | Pensiangan |
State government
- Sabah (1994–1999, 2004–2018, 2025–present)
Note: bold as Premier/Chief Minister, italic as junior partner
Election results
General election results
| Election | Total seats won | Seats contested | Total votes | Voting Percentage | Outcome of election | Election leader |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 0 / 192
|
1 | ; No representation in Parliament (Barisan Nasional) | Joseph Kurup | ||
| 1999 | 0 / 193
|
1 | ; No representation in Parliament (Barisan Nasional) | Joseph Kurup | ||
| 2004 | 1 / 219
|
1 | 5,880 | 0.08% | 1 seat; Governing coalition (Barisan Nasional) | Joseph Kurup |
| 2008 | 1 / 222
|
1 | 0 | 0,00% | ; Governing coalition (Barisan Nasional) | Joseph Kurup |
| 2013 | 1 / 222
|
1 | 9,467 | 0.09% | ; Governing coalition (Barisan Nasional) | Joseph Kurup |
| 2018 | 1 / 222
|
1 | 11,783 | 0.10% | ; Opposition coalition, later Governing coalition (Barisan Nasional) |
Arthur Joseph Kurup |
| 2022 | 1 / 222
|
2 (Pensiangan-Barisan Nasional; Ranau-PBRS) |
23,877 | 0.15% | ; Governing coalition (Barisan Nasional) | Arthur Joseph Kurup |
State election results
| State election | State Legislative Assembly | |
|---|---|---|
| Sabah State Legislative Assembly | Total won / Total contested | |
| 2/3 majority | 2 / 3
|
2 / 3
|
| 1999 | 0 / 48
|
0 / 2
|
| 2004 | 1 / 60
|
1 / 1
|
| 2008 | 1 / 60
|
1 / 1
|
| 2013 | 1 / 60
|
1 / 1
|
| 2018 | 1 / 60
|
1 / 1
|
| 2020 | 0 / 73
|
0 / 4
|
| 2025 | 1 / 73
|
1 / 2
|
References
- ^ "Kronologi Penubuhan PBRS". Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah. Archived from the original on 26 September 2010. Retrieved 22 February 2022.
- ^ James Chin. "The Sabah State Election of 1994: End of Kadazan Unity - Vol. 34, No. 10 (Oct., 1994), pp. 904-915". University of California Press. JSTOR 2644969.
- ^ Durie Rainer Fong (12 May 2018). "Now, PBRS leaves Sabah BN". Free Malaysia Today. Retrieved 13 May 2018.
- ^ "PBRS is third party to leave Sabah BN". Malaysiakini. 12 May 2018. Retrieved 12 May 2018.
- ^ "PBRS wants to work with Warisan". The Borneo Post. 12 May 2018. Retrieved 12 May 2018.
- ^ "PBRS will remain with BN for now, says Kurup". Free Malaysia Today. Retrieved 11 October 2018.
- ^ Stephanie Leeh (3 October 2018). "PBRS goes back to Sabah Barisan after being rejected by Pakatan". The Star. Retrieved 3 October 2018.
- ^ Kristy Inus (12 May 2018). "Sabah BN coalition to be disbanded to pave way for Gabungan Bersatu". New Straits Times. Retrieved 12 May 2018.
- ^ "BN declares undivided support for Muhyiddin but wants time for PN proposal". Malaysiakini. 12 May 2020. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
- ^ "Six Sabah MPs included in new Federal Cabinet line-up". The Borneo Post. 9 March 2020. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
- ^ "BN declares undivided support for Muhyiddin but wants time for PN proposal" (in Malay). Harian Metro. 14 May 2020. Retrieved 14 May 2020.
- ^ "Malaysian PM Muhyiddin forms Gabungan Rakyat Sabah alliance to take on Sabah polls". The Straits Times. 12 September 2020. Archived from the original on 30 October 2020. Retrieved 11 February 2021.
- ^ "GRS Signs MOU To Continue Cooperation Reject Outside Interference". The Borneo Post. 6 January 2017. Archived from the original on 9 January 2021. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
- ^ "Joseph Kurup steps down as PBRS president, his son Arthur takes over". The Star. 7 January 2023. Retrieved 7 January 2023.