Sabah Umno has decided that it will not cooperate with Gabungan Rakyat Sabah for the upcoming state election.
Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said this followed a series of discussions between Barisan Nasional, Pakatan Harapan and GRS, reported Sinar Harian.
Speaking to reporters after a Sabah Umno meeting in Kota Kinabalu last night, BN chairman Zahid said his coalition would only cooperate with PH at the election.
“BN, PH and GRS previously agreed to form a technical committee and conducted several rounds of negotiations in both Kota Kinabalu and Kuala Lumpur.
“After reviewing the facts and details of the three-party talks, I conveyed to Sabah Umno the leadership’s decision… that it has decided to maintain the BN-PH cooperation.
“BN and Sabah Umno have also decided, once and for all, that there will be no cooperation with GRS.”
Zahid said the technical committee was formed after Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim stressed the need to avoid three-cornered contests among PH, BN and GRS candidates at the Sabah polls.
PH has reached separate pacts with GRS and BN ahead of the polls, although the two coalitions have refused to work together despite Anwar‘s urging.
GRS and PH are currently allies in the Hajiji Noor state government, while BN sits in the opposition in the Sabah legislative assembly.
Sabah BN previously said that any form of cooperation with GRS would only be considered after the outcome of the state polls, which must be held by January 2026 at the latest.
