Sabah CM tightens hold with clean break from Bersatu, say analysts

KOTA KINABALU: Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor has strengthened his hold as Sabah Chief Minister by severing ties with Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) led by Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

Political observers said the move had been in the offing for some time, but the outcome of the 15th General Election pushed Hajiji and his colleagues towards cutting relations with their national bosses, who are in the Opposition to the unity government.

Singapore Institute of International Affairs senior fellow Dr Oh Ei Sun said the move was inevitable.

“It would be untenable for Sabah Bersatu elected representatives to support the Pakatan Harapan-led unity Federal Government while still remaining as Bersatu members.

“Hajiji’s priority is to keep his chief ministership, and by making a clean break from Bersatu, he is free to rally for support among the Pakatan and Barisan Nasional assemblymen, which would solidify his political positions,” he said yesterday.

The Sabah government is led by Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) together with Sabah Barisan, hence known as the GRS-Barisan state government.

Hajiji, the GRS chairman, earlier yesterday announced the exit of Sabah Bersatu members from the party, adding that they would form a new local party together but would now collectively still be under the GRS pact.

He said they reached this decision after considering Malaysia’s current political landscape, particularly in Sabah, and added that this unanimous decision was made in the interests of Sabah, for the sake of unity, and to fulfil the rakyat’s wish and aspirations for them to fight under the auspices of a local party.

The presence of Bersatu in GRS has always cast doubt on GRS’ support for the unity government. (Previously, Sabah Bersatu was the only peninsula-based party in GRS, which also contained local parties Parti Bersatu Sabah, Sabah STAR, Sabah Progressive Party, and the United Sabah National Organisation.)

Sabah Universiti Teknologi Mara (Sabah UiTM) senior lecturer Tony Paridi Bagang said there would no longer be any ambiguity in the GRS’ support of the Pakatan-led unity government of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

But more importantly, he added, the mass exodus indicated GRS was restructuring to establish itself as a genuine local-based political coalition, similar to Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS).

“It’s also a strong signal the state government wanted to ensure it was no longer being ‘dictated’ by the federal-based party (Bersatu) in running the affairs of the state,” he said.

Universiti Malaysia Sabah senior lecturer Dr Romzi Ationg said the move augured well for GRS because the majority of Sabahans wanted it to be a local-based coalition.

“There are many reasons why they want GRS to become 100% Sabah, such as political stability and to ensure GRS is politically autonomous. This is vital in the efforts to push for the full implementation of the Malaysia Agreement 1963,” he said.