Not considering partnering GRS: Bersatu
Published on: Wednesday, May 08, 2024
Affan and Muhyiddin
Kota Kinabalu: Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) Sabah refuted a news report that it was considering whether to cooperate with the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) coalition in the next State Elections.
Sabah Bersatu Armada Chief Muhammad Affan Jumahat said the report was “irresponsible, misleading and deliberately sensationalised.”
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He was referring to a report in the Daily Express on Monday titled “Bersatu keeps GRS option open.”
What Muhy told the media
At the press conference following the party’s convention at Le Meridien on Saturday, Bersatu President Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin was asked, specifically, whether his party would be considering working with GRS in the coming election.
This is because another peninsula-based party, Pejuang, had said barely 24 hours earlier in Kota Kinabalu that it looked forward to such possibility.
The exchange that followed is provided below.
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Media: “Is there a chance for Bersatu to work with GRS in the next PRN (state election)?”
Muhyiddin: “We have not made any decision, obviously there are matters that need to be explored in terms of affiliation and working together with any parties.
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“We will have to make our own assessment when the time comes, when it’s right then we make right decision.
“Saya tak kata ya atau tidak sama sekali. (I am not telling outright whether ‘yes’ or ‘no’).
“Benda-benda ini akan menjadi perkara yang kita meneliti, menimbang, (These are some things we will have to closely examine, weigh)
“Ada pros, ada cons, siapa mahu bekerja sama siapa tidak mahu bekerjasama. (There are pros and cons as to who we want or do not want to be working with).
Affan who is also Sabah Perikatan Nasional Pemuda Head said the matter of cooperating with GRS was not discussed during Sabah Bersatu’s convention, nor was it mentioned by party’s President Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, during the press conference.
“In fact, during the press conference, Muhyiddin reprimanded a journalist who repeatedly asked if Bersatu would consider cooperating with GRS,” Affan said.
“The statement made by Muhyiddin was that ‘PN, Bersatu will legitimately contest in the upcoming Sabah State Election together with other component partners using the PN logo.’”
Affan said Sabah Bersatu’s stance is that any decision regarding the party’s direction and preparation for the State Election would be considered, discussed and thoroughly reviewed unanimously with the State and National leadership.
GRS Information Chief Datuk Joniston Bangkuai responded that the ruling Sabah coalition was happy working with Pakatan Harapan in the Unity Government of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Earlier, another peninsula-based opposition party, Pejuang, said it was looking forward to collaborate with Sabah parties, particularly GRS, at the coming state polls.
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