Sabah PKR chief Mustapha Sakmud has dismissed the notion that the state party was dependent on Barisan Nasional and Gabungan Rakyat Sabah for the impending state polls.
Mustapha said PKR had its own strengths and supporters, Utusan Malaysia reported.
“The prime minister’s rating in Sabah is very high,” he was quoted as saying, referring to Anwar Ibrahim, who is also PKR president. “If you analyse the results of the 15th general election, we received the highest support,” he said.
Mustapha said PKR had grassroots support as it had been in Sabah since 1999. However, Sabah PKR would not leverage its strength, as unity was vital for the state’s interests.
He said political instability at the state level could lead to schisms at the federal level, a scenario Mustapha said he did not wish to see.
“How are we to develop the nation if we keep changing governments? The issue isn’t about whether we are strong or not, but how we use our individual strength to develop the state and country together,” he said.
Mustapha also said PKR will continue to play peacemaker between BN and GRS, the state ruling coalition.
PH and BN are allies in the unity government at the federal level and the two coalitions have since agreed to work together for the Sabah elections.
However GRS is at odds with BN following a failed attempt by Sabah BN chairman Bung Moktar Radin to oust Hajiji Noor, the chief minister and GRS chairman.
GRS however will be forming an alliance with PH.
Mustapha said Anwar, Hajiji and BN chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had met in Putrajaya on Aug 13. “And at the state level we are making similar efforts,” he said.
