KOTA KINABALU: The recent political slander and online attacks against Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor stem from envy over his achievements, says Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah vice-president Datuk Masiung Banah.
He said the opposition, having failed to deliver when in power, is resorting to fabrications and personal attacks on social media to sway public opinion before the 17th State Election.
"They are clearly jealous of Hajiji’s progress and what the GRS government has accomplished in a short time.
This is why they are spreading lies and even hurling insults at our Chief Minister," he said at the Gagasan Rakyat Tri-Annual Meeting in Kampung Saub, a Lundeyah village near Nabawan on Friday (May 23).
Banah said that rather than responding with hostility, Gagasan Rakyat members must focus on strengthening grassroots support and maintaining composure in the face of provocation.
He urged members to avoid retaliating with slander or insults, stressing the importance of respectful political engagement grounded in facts.
"We know our grassroots supporters are affected by the opposition’s malicious online campaigns. But we should not stoop to their level," he said.
The Kuamut assemblyman also warned against adopting the opposition’s toxic cyber trooper culture, which he said thrives on vilification and false narratives.
"Supporters must not fall into the trap of conflict. We need to counter these attacks by being more strategic, through facts, engagement, and unity at the grassroots," he added.
Banah stressed that true strength lies in growing the party’s influence at the community level, not through hostility, but by staying focused on long-term goals.
