KOTA KINABALU: Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) must take the lead for any political collaboration ahead of the Sabah polls, says its deputy chairman Datuk Seri Dr Joachim Gunsalam.
"As long as GRS holds the majority, we welcome collaboration with other parties but GRS must be in the driver's seat," said Dr Gunsalam.
He was responding to PKR deputy president Nurul Izzah Anwar's remarks about the party contesting at least 13 seats in the 17th Sabah polls.
Dr Gunsalam also addressed Bersatu secretary-general Datuk Seri Azmin Ali's statement about the identifying seats to contest.
"Malaysia is a democratic country. They are free to contest," said the Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) acting president at a press conference at the Ministry of Communications Integrated Complex in Kepayan on Monday (May 26).
Dr Gunsalam said there had been no formal discussions yet between GRS and Bersatu or Perikatan Nasional regarding electoral cooperation.
In the 2020 Sabah Election, Perikatan, Barisan Nasional and PBS formed a coalition under GRS to contest against the Warisan-Pakatan led government.
Following the 2022 General Election, Sabah Chief Minister and GRS chairman Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor left Sabah Bersatu to establish Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah, replacing Bersatu in GRS.
Barisan exited the GRS coalition government in January 2023.
When asked about Gagasan Rakyat vice-president Datuk Masiung Banah's comment that GRS is targeting up to 52 seats, Dr Gunsalam declined to specify how many seats PBS is eyeing.
"GRS includes PBS and STAR, we are all in this together," he said.
He added that while PBS has made some seat requests, discussions are ongoing.
"GRS must win. Don't talk about individual parties; GRS comes first," he said.
Besides Gagasan Rakyat, PBS and Sabah STAR, the other GRS component parties are Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP), Parti Cinta Sabah (PCS), Parti Harapan Rakyat Sabah (PHRS), Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and United Sabah National Organisation (Usno).
