KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Pakatan Harapan will take charge of discussing seat arrangements, forging pacts and other matters pertaining to the coming state elections, says Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
"We (federal) will be supporting from behind. Datuk Ewon Benedick (Sabah Pakatan chief and Upko president) will coordinate all matters here in Sabah with the other key leaders here. I am here to support only and listen to their views," the Pakatan chairman said after chairing a meeting with Sabah Pakatan leaders here on Thursday (May 29).
He said Sabah Pakatan would decide on priorities, strategies, manifesto, constituencies and negotiations with Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) and Barisan Nasional.
"I will bring these views to the attention of our colleagues at the federal level, as we have decided to entrust the handling of the state election to Sabah Pakatan.
"If we truly want to champion the rights of Sabah and its people, the relationship between the state and the federal government must be close and based on mutual trust, just as it is with other states and currently improving further in Sarawak due to strong federal-state cooperation," he said.
On a question about GRS' statement that they are not keen to work with Barisan and only want to work with Pakatan for the state polls, Anwar said the door is not closed for negotiations.
"We (Pakatan) are on good terms with both sides… there is always room for discussion in any matter," Anwar said.
