United Sabah People's Party
The United Sabah People's Party is a Sabah-based political party in Malaysia. The party was founded in 1994 as a splinter of the United [Sabah Party] by Joseph Kurup, leading the party from its foundation to 2023. PBRS had been a component party of Barisan Nasional since its founding, except for a brief period between 2018 and 2020. Presently, the party is led by the founder's son, Arthur Joseph Kurup.
History
The party was formed on 11 March 1994 by founding president Joseph Kurup who had led disaffected members of the United Sabah Party. On 10 June 1994, PBRS was officially accepted as one of the component parties in the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition.Following the 2018 general election that saw the collapse of the BN ruling coalition, PBRS president Joseph Kurup declared the party's intention to quit BN as a component. The decision was announced to the public after receiving approval from the party's Supreme Council on 12 May 2018. In the aftermath, PBRS applied to become a component of the new ruling Pakatan Harapan coalition under the pretext of ensuring the fulfillment of its election promises. However, the application was ignored, followed by a statement from then Sabah PH chief Christina Liew that PBRS had a 'very slim chance' to join the coalition. Faced with rejection, PBRS decided to remain with BN before forming a new coalition with other Sabah-based parties known as the United Alliance of Sabah.
In the wake of the 2020–2022 Malaysian political crisis that resulted in the collapse of the PH federal government, PBRS attended the Barisan Nasional Supreme Council meeting on 12 May 2020 after a 2-year lapse, deciding to rejoin the coalition whose components at the time were left with UMNO, MCA and MIC. Barisan Nasional had decided to declare support for the new Perikatan Nasional federal government led by Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin. PBRS Deputy President and sole party MP, Arthur Joseph Kurup, was appointed as the Minister of [Economic Affairs (Malaysia)|Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department] for Economic Affairs in the BN-supported Muhyiddin cabinet. BN secretary-general Annuar Musa declared that, as the coalition Supreme Council meeting was attended by PBRS president Joseph Kurup himself, it implicates the return of PBRS as a BN component party. On 9 January 2021, Arthur Joseph Kurup signed a memorandum of understanding to set-up Gabungan Rakyat Sabah, a Sabah-based political alliance which contested and won the 2020 Sabah state election, forming the state government under Hajiji Noor. On 7 January 2023, Joseph Kurup stepped down as the 1st PBRS president and became the Honorary Chairman of PBRS after helming the party for 29 years from its formation in 1994 to 2023. Party deputy president and his son, Arthur Joseph Kurup, succeeded him as the 2nd party president.
Elected representatives
Dewan Rakyat (House of Representatives)
Members of Parliament of the 15th Malaysian Parliament
PBRS currently has only one member in the House of Representatives.Dewan Undangan Negeri (State Legislative Assembly)
Malaysian State Assembly Representatives
Sabah State Legislative AssemblyGovernment offices
State government
SabahNote: bold as Premier/Chief Minister, italic as junior partner
Election results
General election results
| Election | Total seats won | Seats contested | Total votes | Voting Percentage | Outcome of election | Election leader |
| 1995 | 1 | ; No representation in Parliament | Joseph Kurup | |||
| 1999 | 1 | ; No representation in Parliament | Joseph Kurup | |||
| 2004 | 1 | 5,880 | 0.08% | 1 seat; Governing coalition | Joseph Kurup | |
| 2008 | 1 | 0 | 0,00% | ; Governing coalition | Joseph Kurup | |
| 2013 | 1 | 9,467 | 0.09% | ; Governing coalition | Joseph Kurup | |
| 2018 | 1 | 11,783 | 0.10% | ; Opposition coalition, later Governing coalition | Arthur Joseph Kurup | |
| 2022 | 2 | 23,877 | 0.15% | ; Governing coalition | Arthur Joseph Kurup |