Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) Labuk assemblyperson Abdul Rahman Kongkawang has defected to join the ruling Parti Warisan Sabah today.

Abdul Rahman, who was flanked by Sabah Chief Minister Mohd Shafie Apdal, informed the press of his resignation from PBS at a press conference in Kota Kinabalu.

He said the resignation was effective yesterday.

“My decision was difficult as it is with sadness that I leave PBS. But I am sure that they will accept my decision with an open heart because I am doing with sincerity for the interest of my people," he said, according to a report in The Star.

Abdul Rahman follows Tandek representative Anit Baranting who quit PBS for Warisan in March.

His defection means that Warisan now has 33 of Sabah's 65 state assembly seats. Allies DAP, PKR, Bersatu and Upko hold an additional 24.

The Gabungan Bersatu Sabah coalition of PBS and Jeffrey Kittingan's STAR party is now down to seven state reps, while long-serving chief minister Musa Aman is the sole Umno rep in the state assembly.

Shafie told the press that he was first alerted to Abdul Rahman's willingness to join Warisan during the triumphant Sandakan by-election campaign in May.

“We had to consider and screen him," he said, adding that Abdul Rahman would help Warisan build bridges with rural communities.