PBRS president Arthur Joseph Kurup was appointed Sabah BN chairman – a post traditionally held by Sabah Umno chiefs – in January this year. On Monday, Tawau Umno chief Ghazalie Ansing called for Kurup, the Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS) president, to be replaced as Sabah BN chairman, citing his absence in the run-up to the Johor and Negeri Sembilan polls. Kurup was appointed Sabah BN chairman – a post traditionally held by Sabah Umno chiefs – in January this year. He said that as a Sabah-based party, PBRS had more influence in certain parts of the state, while Umno had a wider grassroots network in West Malaysia. He said Umno should come to terms with the fact that a Sabah-based party could help revive support for it.