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Kuala Lumpur: Barisan Nasional should also contest solo in Sabah during the 15th general election, said Tan Sri Joseph Kurup (pic) who claimed doing otherwise only benefited the rival Perikatan Nasional (PN).

Seizing on BN Chairman Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s statement after PAS chose PN as its partner for GE15, the United Sabah People’s Party (PBRS) president said the exception for both coalitions to continue cooperating in Sabah should be withdrawn. Despite their open hostility at the federal level, BN indirectly partners PN via the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah ruling coalition that governs the state.

“PBRS believes the cooperation between BN and GRS will only provide an advantage to PN,” he said in a statement.

“This is also based on feedback from PBRS branch leaders and grassroots members who disagree with that alliance.”

On Thursday, Ahmad Zahid said BN would contest on its own during GE15 after Islamist party PAS announced that it has decided to maintain its cooperation with Bersatu and PN instead. Earlier, PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang finally committed his party to PN, ending its attempts to bridge the enmity between Umno and Bersatu.

After Ahmad Zahid made his declaration, GRS chairman Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor and his Sabah BN counterpart, Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin, insisted it did not apply to Sabah. PBRS is a former component of BN that left after the coalition lost the 2018 general election but which has since realigned with it.