The Barisan Nasional is set to face a challenge from three Sabah opposition parties that have agreed to enter the next state election as o­ne team.

The three are Parti Barisan Rakyat Sabah Bersekutu (Bersekutu), Pertubuhan Kebangsaan Pasok Nunukragang Bersatu (Pasok) and Parti Setia.

Bersekutu president and team spokesperson Berman Angkap was quoted as saying by Bernama today that the electoral pact, which paves the way for straight fights in all 60 state constituencies, was to deny the BN an easy victory.

Berman was speaking at a press conference also attended by Pasok chief Cleftus Mojingol.

Pledging to reciprocate the goodwill during the upcoming general election, he appealed to the DAP and Keadilan to field a minimum number of candidates for the state election.

Split votes

He said the opposition did not want to repeat its mistake in the 1999 general election when split votes within its ranks had handed an easy victory to the BN.

Berman also declined to comment o­n the statement by Pertubuhan Kebangsaan Rakyat Sabah Bersatu (Bersatu) pro tem president Maidom Pansai that his party would field candidates in all 60 constituencies "until Bersatu was registered".

"He (Maidom) is our good friend and o­nce the party is registered, we are prepared to talk with him too."

The Sabah political trend, he said, was to have a change in government at the end of every decade and in the next state election, the people would favour the opposition.

Meanwhile former Sabah minister of welfare services Adib Sigoh handed over his membership application form to Berman to join Bersekutu today.

In the last state election, Bersekutu was the political vehicle of former chief minsiter Harris Salleh. It performed miserably at the polls.