Kota Kinabalu: Age is not a factor when it comes to appointing the leadership of a political party, said Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) Vice President Datuk Dr Joachim Gunsalam.
He said this when asked about Upko’s recent move to appoint its Vice President, 39-year-old Kadamaian Assemblyman Datuk Ewon Benedick to lead the party as President.
“That is Upko’s style. In PBS, we have our own style. It does not matter how old or how young you are.
“It is a matter of how you can lead the party in a more positive, better way. Age is not really a factor,”
He told a press conference after launching the Sabah International Coffee Festival at Suria Sabah Shopping Mall, here, Friday.
The Deputy Chief Minister remained unfazed when asked on whether it would affect efforts to garner the support of the younger generation, especially with the lowering of the voting age from 21 to 18 (Undi18).
“What is more important is what the party stands for. I think the principle of the party is more important compared to the individual who leads the party,” he added.
On Wednesday, Upko President Datuk Seri Wilfred Madius Tangau announced that he would not be defending his party position for the upcoming term and allow Ewon to lead the party instead.
He said Upko needs to formulate a new strategy to continue to fight for the interests of the people in this uncertain political situation.
“For that, Upko will highlight a new line of leadership with a fresh perspective, and always stick to the basic principles of the party’s struggle,” Madius said.
The decision was made after reaching a consensus and assessing the level of readiness for a new leader to shoulder the responsibilities of leading the party.
Meanwhile, Dr Joachim clarified that the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) has been approved for the controversial silica sand mining project in the northern district of Kudat.
The project had received backlash from surrounding villages, namely residents in Kg Bangau, Andab Bangau, Andab Darat, Kimihang and Longgom Kecil, claiming that the long-term mining process would permanently impact the environment.
The villagers, who rely on the fisheries industry as their main income source and small tourism operations had pleaded for the Government to stop works by China-owned Kibing Solar New Materials (M) Sdn Bhd.
“Everything has the approval. We would not allow it to proceed if there is no EIA approval. I think it is a very good move by Kibing, it is for the future of Sabah and the local economy,” Dr Joachim said.
The proposed silica sand processing and solar panel manufacturing plant to be built in Sikuati, Kudat reportedly involves an investment of some RM2 billion and will create up to 2,000 job opportunities, 80 per cent of which are reserved for local workers.
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