KOTA KINABALU: The newly-launched Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) coalition has received the blessings of Perikatan Nasional chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
Amid questions over the position Sabah Perikatan itself in the state, the Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) president, in a Facebook post, congratulated Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor on the launch of GRS in Sabah.
"The establishment of GRS, which also includes two other Perikatan parties- Sabah STAR and Sabah Progressive party (SAPP) - is expected to fulfil the aspirations of the people in Sabah.
"It will drive the progress and development of Sabah which is more vibrant and sustainable," he said in his post following the launch of the five-party GRS state coalition on May 28.
Apart from Sabah Bersatu, Sabah STAR and SAPP, the coalition includes Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) and United Sabah National Organisation (Usno).
Other members of Sabah Perikatan, including Sabah PAS and Gerakan, were not part of GRS, which leads the state coalition government with Sabah Barisan Nasional.
Political observers said that Bersatu's presence in GRS raises questions on whether Sabah Perikatan remains a political entity in Sabah, especially with one of its members - Sabah PAS - holding a nominated state assembly seat.
"It looks like Sabah Bersatu is warping itself under GRS. This is a question that is yet to be made clear by their leaders.
"It is important for clear lines to be drawn as it would spell out future relations with Barisan Nasional," a political analyst, who preferred to remain anonymous, said Wednesday (June 1).
He explained that Bersatu's presence in GRS might change the current political arrangement between Sabah Umno and Barisan Nasional and the coalition.
The analyst said that at the national level both Umno and Bersatu have gone separate ways in the recent Melaka and Johor state elections.
"This could be the case for Sabah, especially when a general election is called," he said, adding that Sabah Barisan chairman Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin has made it clear that he will follow the directive of party headquarters when it comes to national alliances.
State Bersatu leaders have been explaining that Bersatu in Sabah was a local political entity with autonomy while they remained with Perikatan at the national level.
The analyst said that Sabah Umno also had autonomy at the state level and Bung had made it clear that they will follow the directive at the federal level.
"For now, the state government under GRS-Barisan will remain but alignments can change once GE15 is called," he added.
