Kurup said he spoke with the top leadership of PH and was confident they would be welcome his party into the informal pact. — Picture by Saw Siow Feng

KOTA KINABALU, May 12 — Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS) became the third Sabah Barisan Nasional (BN) component party to quit the coalition tonight, following Upko and Liberal Democratic Party in the last 36 hours.

Its president, Tan Sri Joseph Kurup, told Malay Mail the party had decided yesterday, but waited until after its supreme council meeting today to announce the news.

“In view of the fact that the BN government has fallen, PBRS leaders feel that we will not be able to serve our community if we stayed on,” he said, adding the party’s constituents were among the most disadvantaged in the state.

“Under these circumstances, PBRS decided to review its position within the BN coalition, and has applied to become a part of the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition. Only by joining PH, can we provide what we promised to the rakyat.”

Kurup said he spoke with the top leadership of PH and was confident they would welcome his party into the informal pact.

PBRS holds the Pensingan parliamentary seat and Sook state seat. Kurup said they will now work closely with Parti Warisan Sabah.

There is an impasse over who commands the numbers to form the state government after six BN assemblymen — two from Upko and four from Umno — declared their support for Warisan and its president, Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal.

Informally, Warisan now has the support of 36 assemblymen to BN’s 24.