KOTA KINABALU: Sabah STAR and Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) membership in Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) has automatically terminated with their decision to opt to use their own party symbols in the coming election.
GRS secretary-general Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun said that presidents of the two parties Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan and Datuk Seri Yong Teck Lee said that they intended to use their party symbols in the election, a move likely to see them contest against the Pakatan candidates.
"They stated that they did not want to be bound by the seat allocation quota being finalised by GRS and Pakatan Harapan.
"This means that STAR and SAPP are likely to field candidates in state constituencies that will also be contested by candidates from Pakatan," he said in a statement here Thursday (Oct 2).
"With this decision and action, the membership of STAR and SAPP in GRS is automatically terminated," Masidi said.
GRS chairman Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor during the meeting, reminded that all GRS component parties need to respect the electoral pact agreement that was already announced with Pakatan.
Hajiji stressed that in the interest of unity, GRS should operate as a single entity and all candidates use the GRS symbol in the 17th State Election.
"After a lengthy discussion which was done in an openly and sincere manner over two hours, the meeting decided that any component party that chooses to field candidates under their own party symbol is considered to have left GRS.
"As such, candidates from such parties no longer represent GRS in the 17th state election," he added.
Masidi said that both Kitingan and Yong had also stated that they respected the stance of the other component parties who chose to remain with GRS and maintain strategic cooperation with Pakatan.
"The meeting was held in a spirit of goodwill, friendliness, sincerity and openness.
"All leaders present accepted the decisions made through deliberation and continued to celebrate the differences of opinion in the spirit of healthy and mature democracy," he added.
The other presidents attending were Parti Bersatu Sabah acting president Datuk Seri Joachim Gunsalam, Usno (Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia), Parti Harapan Sabah (Tan Sri Liew Yun Fah), Parti Cinta Sabah (Tan Sri Anifah Aman), Liberal Democratic Party (Datuk Chin Su Phin) with Hajiji, the president of Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah.
Masidi, who also attended the meeting, said that emphasis on the principle of unity in the GRS in facing the state election.
Masidi also said they discussed and updated on GRS's operational preparations in facing the to be held this year, including the seat-sharing negotiations between GRS and Pakatan.
He said GRS will continue to emphasise strengthening operational efforts and solidifying strategies to face the 17th State Election with full commitment to the stability and well-being of the state.
