Kota Kinabalu: The Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) coalition sees no reason to establish cooperation with other peninsula-based parties, given the people’s confidence in the GRS government and its harmony with Pakatan Harapan Sabah in administering the State.
GRS Information Chief Datuk Joniston Bangkuai said the local coalition remains focused on realising its Sabah Maju Jaya agenda of developing the State and uniting the people, while further strengthening ties with PH Sabah.
“GRS is very comfortable with PH Sabah and our other allies here. We appreciate the positive reception from most Sabahans towards the GRS-PH plus government,” he said in a statement, Monday.
Our report on May 6, 2024.
Joinston said GRS, as a coalition of local parties, will be guided by the views and sentiments of Sabahans in making decisions.
He was responding to reports that Parti Bersatu and Parti Pejuang are keen to cooperate with GRS in facing the 17th state election expected next year.
Bersatu President Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin was quoted as saying his party will study the possibility of collaborating with GRS, while Pejuang President Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir expressed his party’s desire to work with the Sabah ruling coalition.
Joniston viewed the interest from the two peninsula-based parties as a sign of their confidence in the GRS-led State Government’s sincerity and determination.
PH Sabah had chosen to support GRS Chairman Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor as Chief Minister in early 2022 after a plot by several Sabah Umno assemblymen with Parti Warisan to overthrow Hajiji’s government.
The decision was made to avoid disrupting Sabah’s development momentum due to political instability from the attempted overthrow of the elected government.
