Pakatan Harapan secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution Ismail has defended the coalition’s decision to work with both Gabungan Rakyat Sabah and Barisan Nasional in the upcoming Sabah state election.
Dismissing a Sabah Umno leader’s demand that PH choose between GRS or BN, Saifuddin said each political party has the freedom and discretion to choose their election allies.
“We will go through seat negotiations. Different parties will lay a claim to one seat with their own justification of having a better chance of winning it.
“But let’s discuss it and iron the issue out. This is the ongoing process for PH, GRS and BN,” he told reporters after an event in Sabah today.
He was responding to Sabah Umno information chief Suhaimi Nasir’s demand that PH state if it would side with BN or GRS if the coalitions clash over the same seat.
Tuaran PKR chief Razeef Rakimin had dismissed Suhaimi’s call, saying the Umno man should stay out of PH’s internal deliberations.
PH, BN and GRS are allies at the federal level, but BN is in the opposition in Sabah.
PH has reached separate pacts with both coalitions, but GRS and BN have refused to work together and said they are prepared to clash with each other in some seats.
Saifuddin said his meeting with GRS chairman Hajiji Noor today was fruitful as seat talks between the two coalitions were nearly completed.
He said seat negotiations between PH and BN were also nearly done, with only two to three seats requiring further discussion.
“The meeting with chief minister Hajiji is to discuss how we can close the gap and avoid any potential clash. I will present a report later to the Pakatan Harapan chairman, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim,” he said.
The current Sabah assembly’s term reportedly expires on Nov 11, unless dissolved earlier. A state election must be held within 60 days of the expiry or dissolution date.
