Hajiji (second right, wearing cap) visiting the Ramadan Bazaar near CKS Kampung Selupoh, Tuaran.
KOTA KINABALU: Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) component parties and partners should focus on their work amidst the jostling for seats ahead of the upcoming 17th state election, says Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor.
The GRS chairman said that now is not the time to be lobbying for seats, adding that parties need to consider the bigger picture by fielding only strong candidates instead of gunning for more seats.
"After all, we (GRS parties) are all going to use the GRS symbol,” he said at the Sulaman Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah (Gagasan Rakyat) division breaking of fast ceremony in Tuaran on Saturday (March 16).
“So, it is not all about the seats. What we want are winnable candidates. I hope all our leaders will use their wisdom in continuing the struggle for the people and state development," said Hajiji, who is also the Sabah Chief Minister.
Besides GRS anchor party Gagasan Rakyat, Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS), Sabah STAR, Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP), United Sabah National Organisation (Usno), Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and Parti Harapan Rakyat Sabah (Harapan Rakyat) are also coalition members.
GRS is working with Pakatan Harapan, comprising PKR, DAP, Upko and Parti Amanah, in the state government.
The presidents of Sabah STAR, Usno and SAPP had last year all said GRS should go it alone in the next state polls, which is only due after the end of the current State Legislative Assembly’s term in October 2025.
And recently, Gagasan Rakyat and Upko were involved in a tiff over seats last month.
Gagasan Rakyat supreme council member Datuk John Ambrose had criticised Upko president Datuk Ewon Benedick for suggesting seat allocation among coalition parties should be distributed with a fresher outlook in the Sabah elections.
Ambrose said partners in the GRS-led government should stop demanding more seats, and that talks on seat distribution should only take place after the dissolution of the state assembly.
Upko secretary-general Nelson W. Angang then hit back, saying the party was entitled to express its intention to contest for more seats.
Meanwhile, Hajiji, who is also Gagasan Rakyat president, called on party members in the Sulaman division to continue with the struggle and cooperation at the grassroots level.
The Sulaman assemblyman said it is important that grassroots leaders build a closer rapport with the people on the ground so they would learn of their problems and bring it to the attention of the top leadership.
He said there are over 200 branches in his constituency, adding this showed that the rakyat’s support for Gagasan Rakyat has now gained traction.
Hajiji said this can be achieved if there is unity among members, and added that they should avoid petty personal issues
He then said that the present political landscape is becoming more challenging and at times “absurd”.
"They (Opposition) even blame Hajiji in the social media for the current dry spell affecting Sabah," he said, calling on members to defend the party from the slanders of their rivals.
Later, Hajiji took part in a breaking of fast with more than 1,000 Sulaman constituents at the Rumpun Bajau Sama Cultural Centre.
Prior to that, he was accompanied by his son Mohd Danish in a visit to the Ramadan Bazaar at CKS Kampung Selupoh.
