KOTA KINABALU: Parti Bersatu Sabah is ready to contest the Tuaran parliamentary seat for Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) in the coming general election.

       PBS president Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili said the party was confident of victory in the seat as two of the four state constituencies there – Tamparuli and Kiulu – were its strongholds.

       As such, he said PBS would be able to capture Tuaran from Opposition Parti Upko president Datuk Seri Wilfred Madius Tangau.

       GRS supporters in the other two state seats within Tuaran, Sulaman and Pantai Dalit, would help PBS achieve this victory, he said at the opening of the party's Tamparuli chapter annual general meeting in Tuaran near here on Sunday (March 20).

       "The general election will be held at the latest by next year, and Tuaran is among the constituencies we have a thirst for.

       "The PBS machinery is ready and (has been) strengthened by increased membership and more branches," he said.

       He added that assemblymen Datuk Joniston Bangkuai (Kiulu) and Datuk Jahid Jahim (Tamparuli) were serving the grassroots well in their seats.

       Ongkili, who is Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Sabah and Sarawak Affairs), said the party would continue to fight for the rights and demands of Sabah and its people.

       Tuaran is also being eyed by GRS component Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia as well as its ally Umno.

       Madius won the seat on a Barisan Nasional ticket in 2018 but later, Upko moved to align itself with the Warisan-led state government.

       After the collapse of the Warisan government in 2020, Upko joined Pakatan Harapan.