PENAMPANG: Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) and Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (Star) today signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at further strengthening the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) coalition.
Star president Datuk Seri Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan, who is also Sabah deputy chief minister, said the strategic cooperation has the full support of Sabah chief minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor, who is also the coalition’s chairman.
“This collaboration is a positive sign as it strengthens GRS further,” he said before the MoU signing ceremony at Hongkod Koisaan, Kadazan Dusun Cultural Association, here today.
The MoU was signed by Kitingan, PBS deputy president Datuk Seri Dr. Joachim Gunsalam, Star secretary-general Edward Linggu and PBS secretary-general Datuk Julita Majungki.
The signing follows months of negotiations to ensure no conflicts occurred between the two parties during the state elections expected next year.
Kitingan said PBS and Star also agreed to establish a joint leadership council and cooperate in providing training to members.
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Meanwhile, Gunsalam said the cooperation is not a threat to other parties within GRS but was more to strengthen the coalition.
He said both parties are currently studying which seats to contest and were in further discussions with other GRS parties.
However, Gunsalam said that the 13 seats currently held by PBS and Star were fixed and non-negotiable.
In the last state elections, Star and PBS won six and seven seats in the state assembly, respectively.
The GRS coalition consists of Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah, Sabah Progressive Party, PBS, Star, United Sabah National Organisation, Parti Harapan Rakyat Sabah and the Liberal Democratic Party.
