KOTA KINABALU: Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia's move to pull Parti Usno out of Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) is being seen as a step to rebranding as an entirely Sabah bumiputra party, says a political observer.
Usno, which failed to win the two seats it contested on a GRS ticket in last year’s Nov 29 state election, is looking to change its lame duck political position in the GRS-led state coalition government by shaping a fresh identity, local political observer Tony Paridi Bagang said.
“With Usno no longer with GRS, it allows the party to court disaffected bumiputra voters and re-enter negotiations from a position of independence rather than dependency,” Bagang, a senior lecturer with Sabah UiTM here, said.
As of now, Bagang said that without any seats in the state assembly, Usno had no real bargaining chips.
“So, remaining in GRS with no significant government posts would have reduced it to a ceremonial role with no upside for the party,” he said.
Bagang said that Usno may be rebuilding its bumiputra identity brand ahead of the next general election and present itself as a pure champion of Sabah bumiputra.
“Usno is keeping its options open for a realignment — possibly toward Pakatan Harapan federally, or exploring a role in a future opposition bloc in Sabah,” he added.
He was commenting on the decision of Pandikar, a veteran Sabah politician, to withdraw Usno from the GRS coalition led by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor on April 21.
Pandikar also announced that he quit from all government positions in the state government after disclosing that the party's decision was taken after irreconcilable differences with GRS's administration and government policy, particularly after the 17th Sabah state election.
Usno's departure from GRS does affect the state coalition, which is currently anchored by Hajiji’s Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah (Gagasan Rakyat) and Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS), led by Deputy Chief Minister I Datuk Seri Dr Joachim Gunsalam.
Three other GRS components are the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) led by Datuk Seri Chin Su Phin, Parti Harapan Rakyat Sabah (Harapan Rakyat) under Tan Sri Liew Yun Fah and Parti Cinta Sabah (PCS) led by Tan Sri Anifah Aman. Harapan Rakyat and PCS did not win seats in the recent state election, and LDP did not contest.
Prior to the state election, Sabah STAR led by Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan and Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) under Datuk Seri Yong Teck Lee quit GRS. Kitingan’s party has since backed the GRS state coalition government after the election.
