KOTA KINABALU: Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) coalition parties are expected to formalise their cooperation on Saturday (Jan 9).
The GRS group, comprising Sabah Perikatan Nasional, Sabah Barisan Nasional and Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS), is expected to sign a memorandum of understanding when they meet formally here.
Chief Minister and Sabah Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia chairman Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor will be representing Sabah Perikatan while Sabah Barisan will be led by Sabah Umno chief Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin and PBS by its president Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili.
The move to formalise the initially loose coalition came after it won the state government in the Sept 26 snap polls.
The then-opposition coalition managed to topple the Warisan Plus led by former chief minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal's two-year-old state government.
Sabah Barisan comprises Umno, Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah and Sabah MCA while the state Perikatan comprises Sabah Bersatu, Sabah STAR, Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) and PAS.
Earlier on Friday (Jan 8), Hajiji held the first meeting of Sabah Perikatan parties after he was named state chairman by Perikatan chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin last week.
Thanking Muhyiddin for his trust, Hajiji welcomed the appointment of Sabah STAR president Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan and SAPP president Datuk Yong Teck Lee as deputy chairman for the national Perikatan.
Two other state leaders appointed members of the Perikatan supreme council were Senator Datuk Guan Dee Koh Hoi and Edward Dagul (SAPP).
At the meeting, Hajiji said the leaders of the parties agreed to put in place working relationships at grassroots level across the state, as well as step up services for the people.
They also agreed to fully support Muhyiddin to continue leading the Perikatan-led Federal Government.
Hajiji added that the state Perikatan leaders would continue to strengthen the working relationship with their partners - Sabah Barisan and PBS under GRS.
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