PUTATAN: Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) has strong prospects of securing a victory in the Petagas, Tanjung Keramat and Tanjung Aru state constituencies in the coming 17th state election (PRN17), provided that all candidates contesting under its banner are from within the coalition.
Tanjung Aru Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah (PGRS) Chief Datuk Awang Ahmad Sah Awang Sahari stressed that this strategy would be more effective than fielding candidates from collaborating parties, particularly those from outside Sabah, should GRS enter into electoral partnerships.
He noted that local sentiment strongly favours homegrown parties.
“In Putatan, we have three state constituencies – Petagas, Tanjung Keramat and Tanjung Aru,” he said at the Petagas friendly carrom competition, here, on Sunday.
“If you ask who knows best which candidate can win, we, the locals, understand who is qualified and who is not. “Since we are aware of this, we must work hard. These three constituencies can be won in PRN17.
“That is why I have already met with the Chief Minister (Datuk Seri Hajiji Haji Noor) to discuss this matter. “If possible, these seats should not be allocated to parties that lack strong support, even if they are part of our coalition – let alone parties from the peninsula,” he said when met at the Karom Persahabatan Petagas and ABKA7 Tuaran event.
Awang Ahmad, who is Petagas Assemblyman, argued that peninsula-based parties do not have the necessary grassroots support to win in these three constituencies, particularly if GRS forms alliances with other parties in PRN17.
He emphasised that voters in these areas would likely reject candidates representing peninsula-based parties, instead, favouring local parties like PGRS to represent their interests.
“As someone from Petagas, Tanjung Keramat and Tanjung Aru, I do not see peninsula-based parties as having sufficient strength to win here. I do not see it…because I am with the people daily.
“I hope our president (Hajiji) makes the right decision, even if it requires a bold move. “While we may not yet match Sarawak’s strength in championing local parties, we are catching up,” he said.
