KOTA KINABALU: Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS), the second-largest partner in Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS), has agreed with Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor’s decision to forge an electoral pact with Pakatan Harapan.
“PBS also concurs with GRS chairman Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor’s statement that GRS would be working with Pakatan Harapan in the upcoming Sabah election,” said party secretary-general Datuk Julita Majungki in a statement on Wednesday (July 30).
She reiterated PBS’ stance that the cooperation should be based on GRS being the dominant partner in the electoral pact.
This aligns with discussions and decisions made in meetings between the GRS chairman and the presidents of component parties, including PBS acting president Datuk Seri Dr Joachim Gunsalam, Majungki said.
The statement clarifies PBS’ position following Hajiji’s announcement that GRS agreed to an electoral pact with Pakatan during the sidelines of the Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah (Gagasan Rakyat) annual meeting on Sunday (July 27).
Some GRS leaders were surprised by the announcement as the final decision had not yet been made by the GRS supreme council.
Majungki explained that Dr Gunsalam could not attend the Gagasan Rakyat annual general meeting due to another commitment.
She noted that Dr Gunsalam was in Beaufort to officiate the simultaneous opening of five PBS divisions’ annual general meetings.
However, she highlighted that senior PBS leaders, including deputy presidents Datuk Seri Jahid Jahim and Datuk Seri Dr Yee Moh Chai, and herself, were present at the Gagasan Rakyat AGM opening.
Apart from Gagasan Rakyat and PBS, other parties in the local party coalition include Sabah STAR led by Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan, Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) led by former chief minister Datuk Seri Yong Teck Lee, and Parti Usno led by former Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia.
Parti Harapan Rakyat Sabah (Harapan Rakyat) under Tan Sri Liew Yun Fah, Parti Cinta Sabah (PCS) led by former foreign minister Tan Sri Anifah Amin, and the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) led by Datuk Chin Su Phin are also part of the coalition.
Gagasan Rakyat, with 26 seats in the current assembly, is the anchor partner of the coalition, while the two non-Muslim native base parties PBS and Sabah STAR hold 13 seats between them.
SAPP and Harapan Rakyat hold a seat each, with other components having no elected or nominated assemblymen in the current assembly.
SAPP president Yong, whose party prefers GRS to go solo, stated that GRS had not met to endorse any decision for the pact with Pakatan.
PBS and Sabah STAR are working on a unity platform under GRS to contest most of the 25 ethnic Kadazandusun, Murut, and Rungus seats in the coming election. Both parties were pushing for GRS to go solo but were agreeable to minimal seats for Pakatan.
