KOTA BELUD: Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor has stressed that local parties must remain dominant in Sabah politics and take priority in forming alliances for the upcoming 17th state election.
He stated that the current Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) government, led by local parties, must continue and that the upcoming election would be crucial to achieving this objective.
Hajiji reiterated the importance of defending GRS as a local coalition in line with grassroots sentiment favouring homegrown leadership in state governance.
He warned against handing over GRS’s cause to those who may harm the coalition, calling on all leaders and members of GRS component parties to engage with the public actively.
Hajiji urged component parties, including Usno, to work together under GRS to ensure electoral victory and to continue advocating the coalition’s "Sabah First" and "Rumah Kita, Kita Jaga" principles.
He underlined that every GRS party, regardless of size, has a vital role in upholding Sabah’s rights and must unite to regain the people's mandate.
Hajiji also expressed appreciation for Usno’s loyalty to GRS, referencing party president Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia’s slogan, “Usno and GRS are inseparable.”
