SANDAKAN – Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) has no reason to work with national peninsula-based parties as it is comfortable working with Sabah Pakatan Harapan (PH), said GRS information chief Datuk Joniston Bangkuai.
He was responding to Bersatu president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s statement that Bersatu was weighing the pros and cons of cooperating with GRS for the next Sabah state election.
“Taking into account the people’s confidence in GRS and its collaboration with Sabah PH in administering the state, there is no reason for GRS to work with other parties based in Peninsular Malaysia.
“GRS is very comfortable (working) with Sabah PH and other partners,” Bangkuai said in a statement today.
Muhyiddin’s remarks came after a similar idea was floated by Pejuang president Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir, who expressed interest in working with GRS in the Sabah election.
Bangkuai said the interest by both peninsula-based parties in GRS was a sign of their confidence in GRS’ administration of the Sabah state government.
However, he said Sabah PH’s decision to support GRS had provided chief minister and GRS chairman Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor with the political stability needed to govern the state.
Beluran MP Datuk Seri Ronald Kiandee is the only elected representative from Bersatu in Sabah after Hajiji led 15 assemblymen, including himself, and four MPs to quit Bersatu in December 2022.
The 15 assemblymen are now in GRS-linchpin Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah. – May 6, 2024