KOTA KINABALU: Former Sabah DAP nominated assemblyman Datuk Ronnie Loh, whose crossover triggered the collapse of the 2020 Warisan Plus state government, is among five vice-presidents of Parti Kesejahteraan Demokratik Masyarakat (Parti KDM) led by Datuk Peter Anthony.

       Other vice-presidents of the newly registered Parti KDM are former Parti Warisan Beaufort division chief Datuk Johair Matlani, interior Sabah politicians Datuk Laimon Laiki and Martin Tommy, as well as former Warisan supreme council member Henry Saimpon.

       Loh was among the assemblymen who supported former Sabah Barisan Nasional chief minister Tan Sri Musa Aman’s bid to take over the state government in July 2020.

       However, Warisan president Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal called a snap state election but the ruling party lost to Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) subsequent polls.

       Anthony, who is the pro-tem Parti KDM president, said on Monday (Feb 21) that he would officially launch the party on March 13 in Kota Kinabalu after the Registrar of Societies registered the party on Feb 18.

       Limbahau assemblyman Datuk Juil Nuatim, who left Warisan with Anthony on Dec 28 last year, is the party’s pro-tem deputy president.

       Academic Dr Gaim James Lunkapis has been named the party’s secretary-general.

       Among others named by Anthony on Monday were Dr Aisat Ellik Iggau as information chief and David Lo Ho Ping as treasurer.

       Former Warisan leaders Anna Maria Bernadus and Jumardie Lukman were named the party’s women’s wing and youth wing leaders respectively.

       Anthony is set to back the 10-party GRS state coalition government led by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor.

       The new party has raised concerns among GRS’ Kadazandusun and Murut based parties like Sabah STAR and Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS) whose sphere of influence were mainly within Sabah interior native areas.

       Anthony, who is Melalap assemblyman, was Warisan’s point man in Sabah’s interior areas of Keningau, Tenom and Pensiangan.

       On Monday, Anthony told reporters that Parti KDM would work with all GRS parties including PBRS, Sabah STAR and Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS).