PENAMPANG, March 8 — The Supreme Leadership of the Parti Kesejahteraan Demokratik Masyarakat (KDM) has decided that the party’s presidential duties, vacated by Datuk Peter Anthony, will be assumed by Deputy President Priscella Peter.
Priscella who is Peter’s daughter, will be assisted by another Deputy President, Datuk Wetrom Bahanda, who was previously appointed as KDM’s Election Machinery Director.
KDM Secretary-General Willie Jude said that the decision was unanimously agreed upon during the Supreme Leadership meeting chaired by Wetrom at the party’s headquarters yesterday.
Willie said that the decision was made in the best interest of the party, particularly in preparation for the upcoming 17th State Election which is expected to take place soon.
“This decision was made unanimously and with full consensus, as we had already planned for such contingencies, including matters related to the President’s legal case.
“It is also fitting for Priscella to take on this role, given that she is one of the party’s co-founders, and Datuk Wetrom fully supports this decision and he was the one who proposed it.
“We all have our respective roles in the party, and I am confident that with our strong bond, like a family, we will be able to overcome any challenges ahead,” he said in a statement yesterday.
Priscella, 27, is a graduate of Curtin University, Australia, holding a Master’s degree in Accounting.
Willie also stated that the meeting reaffirmed KDM’s previous stance to contest in the 17th state election independently.
He added that all party plans, including those initiated by Peter, would continue as scheduled.
“Our struggle continues. We will not retreat even a single step — this is a fight for Sabah, for the people,” he stressed.
Peter, who is Melalap assemblyman, is serving a three-year jail sentence after the Kuala Lumpur Court of Appeal upheld his conviction and sentence for document forgery on Tuesday.
State Assembly Speaker Datuk Seri Panglima Kadzim M Yahya on Wednesday said the status of Peter as Melalap assemblyman has yet to be determined.
Kadzim confirmed that under Article 17(1)(e) of the Sabah State Constitution, any state assemblyman convicted of an offence by a federal court and sentenced to at least one year in prison or fined a minimum of RM2,000 would be disqualified from holding office.
Kadzim added that Peter has 14 days, from March 4, to pursue other legal avenues after which the seat is vacated automatically. Technically he is still the assemblyman until March 18.
The KDM president won the Melalap seat in 2018 and is a two-term assemblyman for the constituency. — The Borneo Post
