When TV3 showed Chief Minister Chong Kah Kiat and opposition Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) president Joseph Pairin Kitingan together during the statewide launch of the Harvest Festival outside Kota Kinabalu, it immediately became a talking point among Sabahans.

In the past since the PBS government was ousted from office, Pairin had never been invited to any of the government-financed Harvest Festivals despite the fact that he has been and still is the chairperson of the Kadazan Cultural Association.

He is recognised as the traditional chief of the Kadazan community in Sabah.

One interesting development is the election of office bearers to the cultural association which Pairin has led for many years. Pairin had earlier appealed to the community that if they could not unite as one politically, at least they could be together culturally.

This prompted several BN Kadazandusun leaders to enter the contests for various key posts. William Bamburing, an accountant by training who was dropped from Chong's cabinet last month to make way for a fellow community member, beat Pairin's famous brother Dr Jeffrey Kitingan for the post of deputy chairperson.

The result was not exactly a surprise, although it had been thought that Jeffrey could still win by a whisker.

Ice breaking

According to one senior Sabah journalist from the same community, the effect of this is that "the ice has been broken" and when they think they can work together as one on cultural matters the next thing is to reach some understanding politically.

Chong, who succeeded Osu Sukam as chief minister last month, and Pairin, who took PBS out of BN and formed an opposition state government before a series of political intrigues brought about his ouster, are no strangers to each other.

They were both assistant ministers in the Berjaya government under Fuad Stephens in the mid- 1970s, and when Fuad died in a plane crash along with several other senior state ministers Pairin was promoted to full minister. Harris Salleh became chief minister.

After the Berjaya government under Harris lost to PBS in the mid-1980s, Chong left to form the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), described today as a mosquito party because it only has two state assembly representatives and one member of parliament (MP).

In recent days, several of the Sabah BN supporters, including several Sabah Umno leaders, have spoken publicly about the desire to bring PBB and the other Kadazandusun-based parties together and eventually back to the BN fold.

Green light

"It is likely that the chief minister has talked to Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad and the latter must have given the green light to try to work together with all parties in Sabah, including PBS," the journalist who declined to be named told malaysiakini .

"For the moment, Osu Sukam (the former chief minister) looks like the odd man out in Sabah politics."

So far Chong has been able to play his balancing act well. He concentrates on being the captain of the ship, according to one political analyst in Kota Kinabalu, and leaving the various ministers to handle their own responsibilities and to make recommendations to the cabinet before any decision is taken.

"This arrangement seems to work well," the journalist added.

Chong is presently busy attending briefings from various ministries, agencies and departments in the state. At the moment he doesn't seem very keen on being interviewed by the local and foreign media.

"He seems to know what he is doing and does not make any statement to antagonise anyone," said the source.

Most of all, the public appearance with Pairin, a Sabah leader still held in high esteem not only by his own community but other Sabahans as well, seems to have further boosted Chong's image as a leader.

"Sabahans will probably soon tire of all the squabbles and seeing third-party interventions," another Sabah journalist commented." If PBS and Pairin come on board as well that will help stabilise the political situation in Sabah a great deal."

Pairin has so far kept mum on any suggestion about a return to the BN but many PBS supporters are secretly wishing that with the improved political atmosphere after Kah Kiat's appointment as chief minister, things will move in that direction before the next elections in two years' time.

TONY THIEN is a freelance writer based in Kuching, Sarawak.