KOTA KINABALU: Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) is standing firm with its unity government partners in the upcoming state election, according to its chairman Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor. He dismissed a proposal that national parties should refrain from participating in the polls.
“I would like to state that in the coming (state) election, we are with the unity government including Pakatan Harapan in Sabah,” the Chief Minister told reporters after an Education Department event in Kota Kinabalu on Thursday (Aug 17).
“We cannot be separated from our partners Pakatan and others including Barisan Nasional. This is because we want to develop Sabah and its people. There is no need for too much politicking and disturbance,” he added.
Hajiji was responding to questions regarding the proposal made by Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) president Datuk Seri Yong Teck Lee, who suggested that only local parties should contest the next state election scheduled for September 2025.
Yong, who is also the GRS deputy chairman, had also proposed GRS contesting all 73 state seats.
Hajiji, however, clarified that this was only Yong’s personal view and that GRS had not discussed the matter, as the state election was still far off.
He emphasized that the primary focus of the government at this time was to address the people’s concerns, such as water and electricity supply issues.
“But I wish to stress that the state government is spearheaded by GRS together with Pakatan,” he said. “We are very thankful to Pakatan.”
In January of this year, an attempt by Sabah Barisan and Parti Warisan to overthrow the GRS government failed after seven Sabah Pakatan assemblymen and several state UMNO dissidents pledged their support for Hajiji, allowing him to remain as the Chief Minister.
Yong’s comments, made during a SAPP function on Sunday (Aug 13), were met with strong criticism from leaders of Barisan, Perikatan Nasional, and Pakatan, who argued that no party could prevent other political groups from participating in any state election, including in Sabah.
Sabah Perikatan chairman Datuk Seri Ronald Kiandee called for an explanation from Yong, while Sabah Barisan chief Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin described the proposal as “absurd.”
Sabah DAP secretary Phoong Jin Zhe contended that Yong was attempting to destabilize both the federal and state governments by sowing discord between GRS and Pakatan.
Meanwhile, when asked about SAPP’s political alliance, Hajiji evaded the question, stating, “Don’t ask me about that now, later we can discuss it.”
Bung Moktar had previously claimed that SAPP was trying to have it both ways by being part of the government at the state level while also aligning themselves with the opposition at the national level.
Credit: The Star : News Feed
