Grs Affirms Alliance With Harapan For Sabah Polls After Top Level Meeting

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Gabungan Rakyat Sabah reaffirmed that it will maintain its alliance with Pakatan Harapan for the upcoming 17th Sabah state election, ending speculations over the coalition’s electoral strategy.
The decision was made following a GRS supreme council meeting yesterday, chaired by Hajiji Noor.
Elaborating, GRS secretary-general Masidi Manjun said the partnership had helped stabilise Sabah’s political landscape and allowed the state government to focus on development priorities, including resolving basic infrastructure problems.
“We will sit down with Harapan leadership in the near future to determine the seat distribution to be contested by each party,” Masidi said, insisting local parties must play the leading role in any agreed arrangement.
He also stressed that the council did not discuss cooperation with other parties ahead of the polls, which are expected to be called soon.
GRS is made up of eight local parties: Gagasan Rakyat Sabah (led by Hajiji), Parti Bersatu Sabah (Joachim Gunsalam), Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (Jeffrey Kitingan), Parti Maju Sabah (Yong Teck Lee), United Sabah National Organisation (Pandikar Amin Mulia), Parti Harapan Rakyat Sabah (Liew Yun Fah), Liberal Democratic Party (Chin Su Phin), and Parti Cinta Sabah (Anifah Aman).
Tensions within GRS appeared to have eased following the meeting, although leaders approached by reporters were evasive, merely stating that Masidi would issue an official statement.
Differing views
On July 12, delegates from PBS and Star urged GRS to run independently in the upcoming state election.
In his speech, Star president Kitingan framed the next election as a defining moment for the state’s political future, calling it a referendum on whether the state should continue relying on peninsula-based parties or assert its own path.
“Consider this election a referendum, whether we want to be ruled by outsiders or govern ourselves,” he said.
However, on July 27, Hajiji, who is Sabah’s chief minister, confirmed that GRS would maintain its partnership with Harapan heading into the next Sabah state election.
“Yes, we will continue working - GRS and Harapan - as they are today. No need to doubt it. We agree,” he added.
Sabah CM Hajiji NoorThe decision fuelled tensions within GRS, resulting in Hajiji saying he would seek consensus from component parties during the supreme council meeting.
The current situation seems peculiar, as Harapan’s other ally, BN, is at odds with GRS, following Sabah Umno’s failed attempt to remove Hajiji in January 2023.
The enduring hostility indicates Harapan will go into the state election with separate alliances, one with GRS and another with BN. - Mkini

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