SANDAKAN: Sabah PAS will continue aligning itself with Perikatan Nasional (PN) in making decisions ahead of the 17th state election, despite maintaining friendly ties with the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) government.
Its commissioner Datuk Dr Aliakbar Gulasan said any political negotiations or seat discussions moving forward would remain centred around PN.
“In the context of Sabah, what’s clear is that PAS remains within Perikatan Nasional. So any discussions are still within that framework,” he said after officiating the Karnival Keluarga Sandakan 2025 at Dewan Sri Libaran, last Saturday.
Aliakbar added that while PAS is seen as friendly to GRS, it continues to uphold its identity within PN, especially with the party’s historical alignment in the State Government dating back to 2020.
“As of now, I still see myself as among those friendly with GRS because GRS is part of the government and that’s based on our political history since 2020,” he said.
Asked how many seats PAS intends to contest, he said no specific number had been finalised.
“For now, we are focused on strengthening our organisation within PN. We haven’t entered formal talks yet,” he said.
Last month, PAS Deputy President Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man said the party was looking to contest at least six seats in Sabah and may consider using a different logo as part of a broader coalition strategy.
Aliakbar also warned against rising state-centric political rhetoric, saying it risks dividing the country further.
“Sometimes before elections, we act like there’s a separation between the peninsula, Sabah and Sarawak. If we keep stirring that, it could lead to bigger conflicts or long-term segregation,” he said.
He said PAS aims to field candidates with integrity, strong religious grounding, and a clear understanding of leadership as a responsibility.
“If politicians don’t understand the concept of sin and reward, they may fall into corruption or abuse of power,” he added.
Although PAS had never won a seat in Sabah, Aliakbar said the party would continue its grassroots work and let voters judge its performance.
Aliakbar’s appointment as the first PAS-Nominated Assemblyman in Sabah in 2020 drew criticism from civil society and political figures, who feared the party’s presence could disrupt the state’s multi-religious harmony. PAS leaders, however, downplayed such concerns, saying their focus in Sabah remains on service and inclusivity.
Despite the early controversy, Aliakbar remains the party’s sole Nominated Assemblyman and continues to openly support the GRS-led State Government.
Meanwhile, speaking about the programme, Aliakbar said the Karnival Keluarga Sandakan 2025 was the first of its kind in Sabah and served as a platform to strengthen family values and community bonds.
Organised by Dewan Muslimat PAS Pusat in collaboration with Dewan Muslimat PAS Sabah and PAS Zon Sandakan, the carnival featured a variety of family-oriented and individual competitions.
He said similar events might be held in other zones across the state in the future.
Also present at the event were PAS Central Committee member Salamiah Mohd Nor, Dewan Muslimat PAS Perak Chief Dr Najihatussalehah Ahmad, PAS Pahang Treasurer Datuk Rosli Abdul Jabar, as well as PAS leaders from Sabah, Pahang and Perak.
