logo
Sabah polls: Joint election machinery between GRS and Sabah Pakatan likely

Sabah polls: Joint election machinery between GRS and Sabah Pakatan likely

The Star18-06-2025
KOTA KINABALU: The likelihood of a joint election machinery between Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) and Sabah Pakatan Harapan is becoming increasingly clear, with repeated signals of intent from Chief Minister and GRS chairman Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor.
Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah (Gagasan Rakyat) vice-president Datuk Masiung Banah said the cooperation between the two political blocs appears to be heading in a positive direction as both sides have demonstrated mutual respect and support.
"The confidence is there. The Chief Minister has, on several occasions, expressed his openness and desire to work together with Pakatan Harapan," he said after officiating the Gagasan Rakyat Inanam Annual Conference at the Menggatal Community Hall on Tuesday (June 17).
Banah noted that Sabah Pakatan had also shown support for Hajiji's leadership and administration, signalling strong groundwork for a potential collaboration in the upcoming 17th state election (PRN-17).
He said the matter of forming a formal joint election operation between GRS and Pakatan would be discussed and decided at the GRS Supreme Council meeting in the near future.
"If this cooperation is finalised, we will set up a joint election machinery in every district to ensure that GRS candidates have the full backing needed to win in PRN-17," he said.
Banah also confirmed that GRS currently shares a common view with Barisan Nasional, to not pursue any electoral cooperation for the state polls.
He expressed optimism that the existing working relationship between GRS and Sabah Pakatan within the state Cabinet had laid a solid foundation for political stability in Sabah, which should continue through the election.
He also commended Hajiji's leadership, describing him as a unifying force at the forefront of Sabah politics.
"His leadership is the shield that protects political harmony and progress in the state. We believe the people trust him, and his ideas will be the rallying point for GRS consensus candidates to secure victory," Banah added.
The Gagasan Rakyat Inanam division is led by Datuk Dr Roland Chia, who was also present at the conference.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Jeffrey Kitingan lays down terms for Pakatan collaboration, says Putrajaya must not dictate Sabah's future
Jeffrey Kitingan lays down terms for Pakatan collaboration, says Putrajaya must not dictate Sabah's future

Malay Mail

time3 hours ago

  • Malay Mail

Jeffrey Kitingan lays down terms for Pakatan collaboration, says Putrajaya must not dictate Sabah's future

KOTA KINABALU, July 3 — Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Jeffrey Kitingan has laid down conditions for any collaboration between Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) and Pakatan Harapan (PH) in the upcoming state election, insisting that local parties must lead Sabah's political direction, not Putrajaya. The Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (STAR) president said that while his party is open to cooperation, any arrangement involving PH must preserve local autonomy and include clear seat allocations. 'We have outlined two options. First, we divide the 73 state seats among ourselves in GRS. Then, if any of the eight component parties want to work with PH, they can relinquish their seats — negotiations are up to them. 'Or, we can agree to allocate PH a fixed number of seats and let them divide them among themselves. But everyone must contest under the GRS logo,' he told Malay Mail in a recent interview. He noted that the concept was not new, pointing out that DAP had previously contested under Parti Warisan's logo in the last general election. Using the 'Sabah for Sabahans' rallying cry, Kitingan — a long-time advocate of state autonomy — said it was time for Sabahans to unite and take full control of their affairs, free from federal interference. His party, which expanded from two to six seats in the 2020 state election and enjoys strong support among the Kadazan-Dusun-Murut (KDM) communities in Sabah's interior, joined GRS in 2022 in a bid to foster local unity. However, as friction builds within GRS's eight components and amid ties with PH at the federal level, Kitingan warned that the coalition's strength now depends on genuine collaboration. 'We came together for MA63 and the shared will to push for state rights. It was the right platform. But that's not enough if local leaders continue to chase power over unity. If we can't unite, we'll be forced to fall back on sentiment,' he said, referring to the Malaysia Agreement 1963. Kitingan warned against what he viewed as federal overreach, suggesting that recent political developments reflect Putrajaya's growing influence in Sabah — to the detriment of GRS's identity and autonomy. Most recently, he took issue with the Prime Minister's announcement in Indonesia regarding joint cooperation over the disputed, resource-rich Ambalat maritime region, located near Sabah's borders. 'They are trying very hard to control us, and we have to take it back and make our own decisions. The answer is a local coalition. Look at Sarawak — they have done very well,' he said, referring to the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) coalition. Kitingan said the current trajectory was 'as good as colonisation'. 'Sabah should be of one heart — from leaders to government agencies to the people. But we're still competing, still grabbing for power. That's our failure,' he said, urging leaders to put aside egos and partisan divides. Kitingan said an all-local alliance was the only solution against federal exploitation and did not rule out working with opposition forces like Warisan. The interview was conducted just before Kitingan was linked to a mining corruption scandal, which has so far seen two GRS-aligned assemblymen charged with accepting bribes. Still, Kitingan maintained that the scandal has no bearing on his political convictions. 'If anything, this will strengthen my political strategy,' he said. When asked how, he simply replied: 'My resolve.' However, he acknowledged that public trust may be tested — and suggested the situation was part of a 'political entrapment' orchestrated by 'hidden hands' to bring down local parties. Without naming individuals, he pointed out that parties like PKR — supposedly allies — were already using the scandal to claim the political landscape was shifting. 'Even the Chief Minister believes this is all just a political game. If we react by stepping down, we're falling into their trap. 'Still, we have to monitor public perception. If action is warranted, then maybe we'll consider it,' he said. Seeking a legacy, not a position Kitingan said the core issue remains whether GRS, as a local platform, should remain aligned with PH out of gratitude for support during the 'Langkah Kinabalu' crisis, or whether Sabah's interests would be better served with full independence from federal coalitions. 'Yes, the national alliance helped us then and we are grateful. They became part of the state government. But does that mean we still owe them?' he asked. 'Don't we want to save ourselves from being under federal control? Then we need to be truly united with all local parties,' he said, adding that even parties like Warisan share this sentiment. "Langkah Kinabalu' refers to the 2023 Sabah political crisis. Despite growing calls for GRS to contest the election independently, Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor has signalled a preference to move forward with a GRS-PH alliance — despite potential clashes with Barisan Nasional — adding to the political complexity. Kitingan was quick to clarify that his intensified push for Sabah autonomy was not a bid to become Chief Minister. 'I'm not looking to be CM. I've gone through a lot already. I just want to leave a legacy for the next generation of Sabahans,' he said.

Sabah Umno eyes 32 seats
Sabah Umno eyes 32 seats

Daily Express

time3 hours ago

  • Daily Express

Sabah Umno eyes 32 seats

Published on: Friday, July 04, 2025 Published on: Fri, Jul 04, 2025 By: Malay Mail, Julia Chan Text Size: Sabah Umno is prepared to contest and win at least 32 seats in the upcoming state election, with the larger goal still at 40 seats, said chairman Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin. — Picture by Sayuti Zainudin Kota Kinabalu: Sabah Umno is prepared to contest and win at least 32 seats in the coming state election, with the larger goal still at 40 seats, said Chairman Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin. He declared that the party is ready to go up against former ally Gabungan Rakyat Sabah(GRS). Advertisement The Lamag assemblyman reiterated that there will be no negotiation with GRS, as they were prepared to contest head-to-head or in multiple-cornered fights in as many as 25 seats against the eight-party coalition led by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor. 'We've been conducting dry runs in many of our constituencies. Our machinery is strong, and we're ready for straight or multi-cornered fights,' he said, adding that the seats are mainly in rural and semi-urban areas BN contested in 2020. 'I expect many six- or seven-way contests. It's okay — everyone believes they can win. I have confidence in our ground game. This is the best way to settle it.' BN's component party, Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS), is expected to contest in Keningau and other interior seats with large non-Muslim Bumiputera populations, while PH is seen as stronger in urban and Chinese-majority areas. 'Yes, we've had discussions with Pakatan Harapan (PH). They're going well. They're good partners and we don't see any major issues. They'll do well in the urban seats,' Bung said. This approach runs counter to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's desire for a three-way cooperation between PH, BN, and GRS — an extension of the Federal unity government model to Sabah. At the Federal level, PH and BN govern together with GRS's support. But in Sabah, ties between Umno and GRS have collapsed following a power struggle in January 2023. Umno and GRS were allies during the 2020 state election and formed the government with a slim majority. But tensions simmered beneath the surface from day one. Bung, who was deputy chief minister, accused GRS of betraying agreed seat allocations, planting candidates in BN areas, and marginalising Umno within the state administration. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia

Jeffrey Kitingan lays down terms for PH collaboration, says Putrajaya must not dictate Sabah's future
Jeffrey Kitingan lays down terms for PH collaboration, says Putrajaya must not dictate Sabah's future

Daily Express

time3 hours ago

  • Daily Express

Jeffrey Kitingan lays down terms for PH collaboration, says Putrajaya must not dictate Sabah's future

Published on: Friday, July 04, 2025 Published on: Fri, Jul 04, 2025 By: Malay Mail Text Size: Jeffrey said an all-local alliance was the only solution against federal exploitation and did not rule out working with opposition forces like Warisan. - Pic: Julia Chan. Kota Kinabalu: Deputy Chief Minister I Datuk Seri Jeffrey Kitingan has laid down conditions for any collaboration between Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) and Pakatan Harapan (PH) in the upcoming state election, insisting that local parties must lead Sabah's political direction, not Putrajaya. The Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (Star) president said that while his party is open to cooperation, any arrangement involving PH must preserve local autonomy and include clear seat allocations. Advertisement 'We have outlined two options. First, we divide the 73 state seats among ourselves in GRS. Then, if any of the eight component parties want to work with PH, they can relinquish their seats — negotiations are up to them. 'Or, we can agree to allocate PH a fixed number of seats and let them divide them among themselves. But everyone must contest under the GRS logo,' he told Malay Mail. He noted that the concept was not new, pointing out that DAP had previously contested under Parti Warisan's logo in the last general election. Using the 'Sabah for Sabahans' rallying cry, Jeffrey – a long-time advocate of state autonomy — said it was time for Sabahans to unite and take full control of their affairs, free from federal interference. His party, which expanded from two to six seats in the 2020 state election and enjoys strong support among the Kadazan-Dusun-Murut (KDM) communities in Sabah's interior, joined GRS in 2022 in a bid to foster local unity. However, as friction builds within GRS's eight components and amid ties with PH at the federal level, Jeffrey warned that the coalition's strength now depends on genuine collaboration. 'We came together for MA63 and the shared will to push for state rights. It was the right platform. But that's not enough if local leaders continue to chase power over unity. If we can't unite, we'll be forced to fall back on sentiment,' he said, referring to the Malaysia Agreement 1963. Jeffrey warned against what he viewed as federal overreach, suggesting that recent political developments reflect Putrajaya's growing influence in Sabah — to the detriment of GRS's identity and autonomy. Most recently, he took issue with the Prime Minister's announcement in Indonesia regarding joint cooperation over the disputed, resource-rich Ambalat maritime region, located near Sabah's borders. 'They are trying very hard to control us, and we have to take it back and make our own decisions. The answer is a local coalition. Look at Sarawak — they have done very well,' he said, referring to the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) coalition. Jeffrey said the current trajectory was 'as good as colonisation'. 'Sabah should be of one heart — from leaders to government agencies to the people. But we're still competing, still grabbing for power. That's our failure,' he said, urging leaders to put aside egos and partisan divides. Jeffrey said an all-local alliance was the only solution against federal exploitation and did not rule out working with opposition forces like Warisan. Jeffrey said the core issue remains whether GRS, as a local platform, should remain aligned with PH out of gratitude for support during the 'Langkah Kinabalu' crisis, or whether Sabah's interests would be better served with full independence from federal coalitions. 'Yes, the national alliance helped us then and we are grateful. They became part of the state government. But does that mean we still owe them?' he asked. 'Don't we want to save ourselves from being under federal control? Then we need to be truly united with all local parties,' he said, adding that even parties like Warisan share this sentiment. 'Langkah Kinabalu' refers to the 2023 Sabah political crisis. Despite growing calls for GRS to contest the election independently, Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor has signalled a preference to move forward with a GRS-PH alliance — despite potential clashes with Barisan Nasional — adding to the political complexity. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store