Labuan: Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) Labuan is open to the appointment of suitably-qualified and experienced leaders from Sabah to head the relevant government bodies on the island.

This, according to PBS Labuan Division chief Datuk Peter Mak, includes the Labuan Corporation which is entrusted with the task of spearheading the development of the island, despite the many recent objections and outcry from various quarters.

"We need to acknowledge that Labuan and Sabah share many similarities such as having common historical, socio-economic and cultural backgrounds.

"What is important is that the island and the people are the ultimate beneficiaries, and we believe that this is what the Prime Minister had in mind when he correctly pointed out that Labuany is to be further developed with the support and co-operation of the state government of Sabah," said Mak, who is also the PBS Vice President.

He also reminded that Sabah has appointed Labuanites to top and senior positions in the Sabah state government due to the merits of the incumbents, though it has the sole prerogative of not doing so.

In this respect, with regard to the much talked-about prospective appointment of Senator Datuk Seri Anifah Aman as the chairman of Labuan Corporation, PBS Labuan will fully support his appointment should the Prime Minister finds it fit to do so.

"We believe that he will be in a position to assist in the development of Labuan due to his wide-ranging credentials, being a succesful former foreign minister and by virtue of him being the chairman of Sabah Invest, the state government body entrusted to lure investment into Sabah," he explained.

He said this at the just-concluded PBS Labuan Annual General Meeting.