Datuk Peter Anthony, a controversial Sabah politician, has been re-elected as president of Parti KDM after receiving full support from its leadership to continue leading the native-based political party. The party held an extraordinary general meeting in Kota Kinabalu on Tuesday, 19 December, and approved Anthony’s continuation as president despite his ongoing legal challenges.
Anthony, who is currently challenging a court conviction for forging a document for the purpose of cheating, will retain his position, with a focus on the upcoming state elections. He expressed confidence in KDM’s chances in the polls, particularly in areas with a majority of Kadazan, Dusun, and Murut voters, citing new and old party leaders as beneficial to their efforts.
Anthony emphasized the importance of being fully prepared for the state elections, which could potentially occur before the scheduled date in October 2025. He highlighted the need for the newly appointed KDM leadership to concentrate on the upcoming state elections, urging them to engage with grassroots and rural communities.
According to Anthony, KDM’s strength has begun to manifest, especially in rural areas such as the interior Tenom and northern Kota Marudu districts. He expressed confidence that the party’s strengths will be evident in other areas during the Sabah polls.
Anthony had previously attempted to contest the Tenom parliamentary seat in the 15th General Election but was rejected by the Election Commission due to a pending court case. He has since filed an appeal against his conviction and is currently awaiting the outcome.
Anthony was initially convicted and sentenced to three years in prison and fined RM50,000 by the Kuala Lumpur High Court for forging letters related to a maintenance and service contract at Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS). His appeal is the final step in the legal process, as the case will conclude in the Court of Appeal.
Anthony’s appeal at the High Court was unsuccessful, and he ultimately paid the RM50,000 fine imposed by the Sessions Court. His appeal was initially scheduled for case management at the Court of Appeal on July 28.
In addition to Anthony’s re-election, the Parti KDM EGM was held to elect supreme council members for the term 2023-2026. Dr. Oswald Aisat Igau, the party’s information chief, confirmed that Anthony and his deputy, Datuk Wetrom Bahanda, were unanimously entrusted by the party’s leadership to steer KDM in the upcoming state elections.
