Sabah Umno open to working with GRS, but only if it's sincere
Sabah Umno chief Bung Moktar Radin said overlapping seat claims with GRS in areas such as Pantai Dalit and Tanjong Keramat were a major hurdle to cooperation.
PETALING JAYA : Sabah Umno is open to working with Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) in the upcoming state election, but only if the ruling coalition is sincere in its approach to seat negotiations, says its chief Bung Moktar Radin.
Claiming GRS tended to change its stance once an agreement had been reached, Bung said: 'We are still open to working with any local party, but they must be sincere. We don't want insincerity.
'What I mean by insincerity is that we agree on something today, then tomorrow they change their stand or change their decision on seats or put their candidates as independents for seats which we are contesting,' Bung told FMT.
Bung said overlapping seat claims in places such as Pantai Dalit and Tanjong Keramat were making negotiations harder.
'That's why GRS has to be sincere when it negotiates with us,' he said.
'Our doors are still open. It is not too widely open and neither is it tightly shut.'
However, Bung said Umno did not expect major problems with Sabah Pakatan Harapan (PH) over seat distribution, as the two coalitions typically contested in different areas – PH in urban seats, and Umno in rural constituencies.
He added that Sabah Umno was looking to contest in 35 seats, up from 32 in the last state election.
Bung's latest comments mark a shift from his stance earlier this month, where he reportedly said that Sabah Umno would not work with GRS and would consider cooperation only after the outcome of the polls.
Barisan Nasional and PH earlier announced an alliance for the Sabah polls, which must be held by the end of the year.
However, the alliance prompted GRS to threaten to go solo. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim then stepped in and called for PH-BN to work with the state coalition.
Masiung Banah, Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah vice-president, was reported to have said that GRS was expected to contest at least 53 seats, while PH would go for 20 under their electoral pact.
GRS and PH are currently allies in the Hajiji Noor state government, while BN sits in the opposition in the Sabah legislative assembly.
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