PENAMPANG: The call for Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) to contest the upcoming state elections independently was a key message during the first joint convention between Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) and Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (Star) at KDCA Hall on Saturday.
PBS acting president Datuk Seri Dr Joachim Gunsalam warned against breaking away from GRS, saying a PBS-Star alliance alone lacked the numbers to form government.
He said GRS remained Sabah’s best chance for local political leadership, urging members to unite behind the coalition for the sake of stability and progress.
Joachim expressed confidence in GRS contesting seats in Sulabayan, Semporna and Sungai Sibuga, while calling on youth to step up and lead efforts at the grassroots level.
Star president Datuk Seri Jeffrey Kitingan said Sabah has long been divided by external interests and that the coming polls should focus on reclaiming the Sabah agenda.
He spoke of historical grievances, including Sabah’s perceived loss of status since Malaysia’s formation, and called on Sabahans to revisit and understand their constitutional rights under MA63.
Responding to allegations linking him to a mining scandal, Jeffrey denied wrongdoing and urged voters to treat the election as a referendum on returning political power to Sabahans.
