PAPAR: The official letterhead of the unity government secretariat should not be used to announce electoral collaboration between Barisan Nasional (BN) and Pakatan Harapan (PH) in Sabah.
Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) deputy secretary-general, Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali, said the announcement only involved two coalitions, despite the presence of other parties, including GRS, under the secretariat.
The statement by secretariat chief Datuk Wira Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki, who is also Umno secretary-general, and PH secretary-general Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, has triggered an unproductive political controversy in Sabah.
According to the Papar member of Parliament, the situation prompted Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to clarify the announcement when questioned during a press conference in Tawau.
“Will the unity government secretariat also issue similar statements for the upcoming Sarawak election?” he said during the Citra Tradisi media night in Kinarut.
He added that the decision to form political cooperation is the prerogative of each party.
“We must also recognise the unique political landscape in states such as Sabah, Sarawak, Melaka, and Johor, which will be facing state elections.
“If stability is the objective, we must respect one another,” he said.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
