PITAS: Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah (Gagasan Rakyat) kicked off preparations for the 17th State Elections (PRN17) that is due by 2025 by launching its Pitas Division on Saturday.
Chief Minister and PGRS President Datuk Seri Hajiji Haji Noor said all 73 divisions under the party must prepare now to ensure victory for Gagasan Rakyat and Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS), the coalition of state-based parties led by Gagasan.
He said all the divisions and branches, including the Women’s, Youth and Beliawanis Gagasan Rakyat wings, must strengthen their party machinery and increase membership in all divisions.
“This is what we will do starting with this Pitas Division because it will not be long before the next State election, which is about two years away.
“If GRS and the 73 divisions of Gagasan Rakyat are ready, have strengthened the divisions, increased the members, strengthened the machinery of their wings, women, youth and beliawanis, then Inshallah, we can think about of making sure we get the people’s mandate again,” he said, at the launch at Dataran Pitas.
Also present were Gagasan Rakyat Pitas Division head Datuk Seri Ruddy Awah, its Secretary General Datuk Mohd Razali Razi, GRS Youth Leader Datuk Fairuz Renddan and Beliawanis Leader Emmie M. Idang.
The Pitas Division was the first to be launched by Hajiji at the divisional level after the state-level launch of the party on March 2.
Hajiji said based on the people’s response to the party which is very encouraging, he is confident that Gagasan Rakyat has a bright future in the state.
“Our people want a local party to be our platform to fight for the fate of our people in Sabah. It is not easy for us to form this party, everyone knows that our political journey in Sabah has been quite arduous and full of great challenges.
“But I am confident that with Gagasan Rakyat, Inshallah, we can rise and champion the struggle of this local party together with GRS for Sabah.
This is the big combination that we will use in the next PRN.
“We want to unite the people because we have experienced various waves of political challenges in Sabah.
Also it is not easy for us to reach our position today until we successfully use local parties’ platform,” he said.
Hajiji is confident that GRS’s concept of being a multi-racial party is accepted by the people of Sabah.
He said the party’s struggle would send a clear signal to the opposition parties in Sabah that Gagasan Rakyat and GRS would be a strong political platform in the future in Sabah politics.
Hajiji also reiterated his confidence in GRS which now consists of seven parties in facing any challenges towards developing Sabah which is the aspiration of the people.
“This is our struggle in Gagasan Rakyat when we choose a local party and I think enough is enough for us to join the national party.
“Now is the time for us to use the local party, but we cannot quarrel with the national party. We must be friends and cooperate with the national party but our priority is the local party.
“We must also strengthen GRS and cooperate with component partners because if we are united we will be stronger and progress. We need to learn from past mistakes, we fight a lot causing others to take advantage,” he said.
Hajiji assured the development of districts including Pitas will be given priority in line with the commitment of the GRS government to bring comprehensive development and defend the fate of the people in Sabah.
He said every project announced by the Government would be implemented for the development of the state and interests of the people, especially in rural areas.
