All eyes on Gagasan Rakyat as it holds AGM
Gagasan Rakyat, the anchor party of the ruling eight-party state coalition Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS), is expected to decide if GRS will go solo or solidify its current partnership with Pakatan Harapan.
Over 2,000 delegates from 74 divisions are expected to attend the annual meeting led by Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor, who is also Sabah Chief Minister.
Gagasan Rakyat insiders are not expecting an outright resolution but the grassroots will likely give Hajiji and party supreme council members the mandate to decide on the party's stand for the coming Sabah Election, which is due by Nov 11.
Hajiji has spoken in favour of continuing its electoral pact with Sabah Pakatan but said that any decision would have the consensus of others in GRS.
He has said he had talked to Pakatan leaders including Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on a possible electoral pact.
Coalition partner Sabah STAR, led by Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan, wants GRS to go solo or at the very least, to give Pakatan a minimal number of seats and to contest under the GRS logo.
Another partner, Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS), led by acting president Datuk Seri Dr Joachim Gunsalam, said GRS should be the dominant party in any electoral pact and also said it would not have a pact with Barisan Nasional.
Gagasan Rakyat holds the most seats in GRS with 26, while PBS and Sabah STAR hold 13 seats between them. GRS has a total of 42 seats, including those of other partners.
Officiated by Hajiji, Gagasan Rakyat's AGM will kick off with a special seminar to be attended by over 400 division members, including from the women's, youth and women's youth wings.
The three wings will hold their annual meetings on Saturday (July 26) followed by the Gagasan Rakyat AGM on Sunday (July 27).
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Borneo Post
15 minutes ago
- Borneo Post
GRS-PH alliance firm for Sabah polls, 'flip-flop' claims dismissed
Johainizamshah KOTA KINABALU (July 28): Allegations that Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) is inconsistent and 'one moment wants to go solo, and the next moment doesn't' in its approach to the upcoming 17th State Election have been described as baseless and misleading to the public. Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah (Gagasan Rakyat) Lamag Division deputy chief Johainizamshah Johari stressed that from the beginning, Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Hajiji Noor who is also the president of Gagasan Rakyat, has maintained a clear and consistent position to collaborate with Pakatan Harapan (PH) in facing the upcoming state election. 'The issue and claims that the Chief Minister is flip-flopping on his stance are inaccurate. What happened was merely a temporary reaction to the official announcement of cooperation between Barisan Nasional (BN) and PH on May 8 and 9 at the federal level, which was made without specific details involving Sabah. 'At that time, Hajiji merely expressed the possibility that GRS could contest independently if the state's political situation required it. It did not mean rejecting cooperation with PH; rather, it demonstrated openness in making decisions based on Sabah's interests,' he said in a statement on Monday. According to Johainizamshah, the situation became clearer after Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's working visit to Tawau on May 11, when the Prime Minister openly expressed his desire for GRS, PH and BN in Sabah to cooperate in the run-up to the state election. 'More importantly, the Prime Minister personally requested Hajiji to lead the coalition's negotiations. This reflects trust and respect for his leadership,' he said. He added that this was further affirmed by Hajiji himself during the 2025 Gagasan Rakyat Annual General Assembly last Sunday, where he clearly stated that Gagasan Rakyat/GRS would work together with PH in the upcoming state election. 'There has not been a single official statement from Hajiji rejecting cooperation with PH. Therefore, the issue of inconsistency or confusion, as claimed by certain quarters — particularly the opposition — is unfounded,' he said. Johainizamshah stressed that the most important thing now is to maintain political stability to ensure continued development in Sabah and that the people benefit from progress. 'We do not want Sabah to become like other resource-rich regions abroad that have failed to uplift their people, such as the Niger Delta in Nigeria, Katanga in Congo, and Chhattisgarh in India — all rich in resources, but their people live in poverty. 'Therefore, we must unite, support the current leadership, and avoid political games that could jeopardise efforts to develop our state,' he said.
The Star
an hour ago
- The Star
Sabah parties should take the lead in reviving Labuan's handover vision, says Kitingan
KOTA KINABALU: Sabah-based political parties in Labuan must work together with a shared goal to realise the vision for the island when it was handed over to become a Federal Territory in 1984. Sabah STAR president Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan said the current situation in Labuan is far from the original expectations. "In fact, Labuan, once a duty-free island, no longer enjoys the same duty-free status as it once did. "This concern is based on fact. Even former Sabah Chief Minister Tan Sri Harris Salleh has acknowledged that his original objective for Labuan's handover has failed," Kitingan said at the launch of the Sabah STAR Labuan division. In 1984, he said, the hope was for Labuan to be developed economically, creating ample job opportunities and increasing income levels for its people with the island becoming a catalyst for development in Sabah and Sarawak. Kitingan said that the changes in Labuan have strayed far from the original 1984 aspirations, as the culture and traditions of some Labuan residents who were once part of Sabah have been alienated. "Today, some Labuan residents feel sidelined in the Federal Territory's administration. They want to be involved in policy-making and implementation," he said. Kitingan, who is Sabah Deputy Chief Minister I, said that the concerns were not being raised out of anger or resentment but are simply calls for positive changes that would make Labuan a source of pride for all. He said Sabah STAR established its Labuan division through the cooperation with fellow component parties under the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) coalition with the aim for Labuan's politics to one day be led and managed by Sabah-based parties. "This issue has also been raised in Parliament. I myself have repeatedly called for the restoration of Labuan's duty-free status, but unfortunately, our pleas have yet to be heard," he added.
Daily Express
4 hours ago
- Daily Express
Petagas Gagasan Rakyat ready for state polls, open to PH alliance
Published on: Monday, July 28, 2025 Published on: Mon, Jul 28, 2025 Text Size: PUTATAN: Gagasan Rakyat Sabah's Petagas division is fully prepared for the upcoming state election (PRN17) and is open to cooperating with Pakatan Harapan (PH). Division Chief Mohd Isquzawan Israq Arsit said their party machinery is already in motion, with G10 teams covering nearly 7,000 voters. All six polling district centres (PDM) will be activated soon. 'We've also briefed all PACA (polling and counting agents), as they are the party's last line of defence on polling day,' he said when met during the party's annual general meeting at SICC on Sunday. He noted strong grassroots support across ethnic lines, and solid ties with GRS component parties like PBS and STAR, including joint programmes with GRS women's wing. * 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
