KOTA KINABALU: All parties in Sabah should rally under the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) banner ahead of the 15th General Election (GE15), says Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor.
The GRS chairman said the coalition - which presently has five parties - was the best platform for all in Sabah to unite under and bring development to the state and its people.
“We have no other alternative but to do so because we have long been divided,” he said when speaking during the GRS tour at Dataran Tomborungus in the northern Kudat district on Monday (Aug 29).
“No matter how experienced or great we are, we will not be able to protect Sabah’s rights in the Federation of Malaysia if we are not united,” he added.
GRS comprises the Sabah chapter of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM), Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS), Sabah STAR, Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) and the United Sabah National Organisation.
Besides that, other parties have also applied to join GRS but have yet to be accepted.
They are Parti Kesejahteraan Demokratik Malaysia (KDM) led by Datuk Peter Anthony, Parti Cinta Sabah led by Datuk Seri Anifah Aman as well as the Liberal Democratic Party and Parti Harapan Rakyat Sabah.
Meanwhile, Hajiji also said that he was confident that the present Sabah government, which was a cooperation between GRS and Barisan Nasional (BN), would remain strong.
“I am confident that Sabah Barisan has its own stand in ensuring the protection of Sabah’s rights. There is no need to be swayed by the political landscape on the other side (Peninsular Malaysia),” he said.
Hajiji said the state government has succeeded in getting many of the state’s rights from the Federal Government.
The latest, he said, was the formation of the Sabah Energy Commission which is expected latest by next year.
“The GRS’ stand on the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) is consistent. We will continue to fight for what is ours,” Hajiji said.
Present were Sabah STAR president Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan, PBS deputy president Datuk Dr Joachim Gunsalam, SAPP President Datuk Seri Yong Teck Lee and Usno president Tan Sri Pandikar Amin, among others.
Earlier, Hajiji met with Bersatu Kudat division leaders at Kampung Ayer and then presented prizes to winners of the Chief Minister’s Cup 2022 Golf Tournament at Kudat Golf Club.
