Priscella, 27, one of KDM’s co-founders and a party deputy president, will be assisted by another deputy president, Wetrom Bahanda, said KDM in a statement today.

KDM secretary-general Willie Jude said the decision was unanimously reached during today’s supreme council meeting at the party’s headquarters in Penampang.

“The decision was made with full agreement from all members. We had taken steps to prepare for any development, including matters related to the president’s case,” said Willie.

“Wetrom fully supports this decision. In fact, he was the one who proposed it.

“We each have our roles in the party, and I am confident that with our bond, which is like that of a family, we can face all the challenges ahead.”

Willie said the meeting also agreed that KDM will remain firm in its stance to contest the upcoming state election, which must be held before the end of the year, without outside partners.

He said all of the party’s plans, including those made by Peter, will be carried out.

On Tuesday, the Court of Appeal upheld Peter’s conviction and three-year jail sentence for forging a letter from the office of the Universiti Malaysia Sabah vice-chancellor for fraudulent purposes 11 years ago.

He was also fined RM50,000.

As the offence was committed in Putrajaya, the KDM president will lose his state assembly seat unless he obtains a pardon from the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

Article 17(1)(e) of the Sabah constitution states that assemblymen sentenced to a year or more in prison or fined RM2,000 or more will lose their seat.