BN-PH strengthening unity, alliance ahead of Sabah election
KUALA LUMPUR: Barisan Nasional (BN) is strengthening its alliance with Pakatan Harapan (PH) as it prepares for the upcoming Sabah Election, with discussions also extending to a broader coalition tentatively dubbed 'BN, PH Plus', according to BN chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
He said the political cooperation in Sabah would be guided by both local BN leadership and central leadership to ensure a strong and unified front.
'We leave it to the wisdom of Sabah BN, with strategic guidance from the federal level, to chart a prudent path toward achieving political dominance through consensus.'
He said this to reporters when asked after officiating the 2025 Franchise International Malaysia (FIM) Exhibition and Conference, and the declaration of the ASEAN Franchise Convention (AFC) 2025 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre here today.
To a question on cooperation with Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS), Ahmad Zahid said BN remains open to alliances with any political party.
'Our principle is to keep our doors wide open, and not to shut them completely,' he said, suggesting that political manoeuvring in Sabah still has ample room for new partnerships.
On the matter of seat allocations, Ahmad Zahid said it was premature to finalise any decisions, noting that detailed negotiations would take place at a later stage.
'It's still too early to make any decision. We will negotiate thoroughly on the allocation of state seats we plan to contest,' he said.
Prior to this, Sabah BN confirmed plans to contest 40 of the 73 state seats available in the upcoming state election, with the remaining 33 seats allocated to Pakatan Harapan (PH).
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Focus Malaysia
a day ago
- Focus Malaysia
PH defends Anwar amid civil suit: No grounds for gardening leave
FOR years, Malaysians heard the call from PH for prime ministers and ministers to go on 'gardening' leave or to simply quit their posts in the event of investigations against them. However, with a PH leader now leading the country, the party of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has seemingly made a U-turn on such policies. Bryan Ng Yih Miin, Strategic Director of Angkatan Muda KEADILAN (AMK) Malaysia, dismissed opposition calls for Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to take leave over a civil lawsuit, calling them legally baseless and contrary to parliamentary norms. He emphasised that in the Westminster system, taking leave is only appropriate in cases of criminal misconduct or serious conflicts of interest, not civil disputes. Bryan warned that applying such a standard broadly would destabilise governance, as many leaders face civil suits that do not imply guilt or criminal wrongdoing. 'In the Westminster system, only when a leader is being investigated for serious misconduct, or if there is a serious conflict of interest, would taking leave or resigning be considered appropriate or ethical,' he said. 'A civil suit, such as a defamation case, is a dispute between individuals or private parties and does not involve criminal investigations, corruption, or abuse of power in an official capacity,' he explained when contacted by Suara Keadilan. Meanwhile, Hanani Dhamirah, a member of Angkatan Muda Keadilan Malaysia, rejected the call by Srikandi Muda Bersatu for Anwar Ibrahim to go on leave, calling it baseless and a misuse of legal processes. She argued that it does not warrant taking leave, as civil cases are personal legal disputes, not evidence of wrongdoing or prosecution. Mohamad Shahrul Adnan, Chief of Angkatan Muda Keadilan Klang added that the call is a political distraction, not grounded in legal facts. Shahrul also emphasised that there is no legal basis requiring Anwar to take leave and that he continues to perform his duties with integrity. He further accused PAS of misusing legal issues for political gain and attempting to divert attention from their own failures in state governance and lack of constructive national opposition. Shahrul urged all parties, especially PAS, to respect the ongoing legal process and avoid politicising court matters for short-term political advantage. —June 8, 2025 Main image: Media Madani
Free Malaysia Today
2 days ago
- Free Malaysia Today
PAS eyes support of ‘critical' non-Malays disgruntled with govt
PAS vice-president Amar Abdullah said that although some PH supporters may have become disappointed with the party, they still disliked PAS over its perceived hardline Malay-Muslim stance. (Facebook pic) PETALING JAYA : Non-Malay voters disgruntled with the Pakatan Harapan-led government are the target of PAS, the largest opposition party in the Dewan Rakyat, as it prepares for the next general election. PAS vice-president Amar Abdullah acknowledged that Malay-Muslim parties have struggled to gain the support of non-Malays. However, it was apparent that voters who make up PH's core support have become increasingly critical of the government led by PH chairman Anwar Ibrahim, Amar said in an interview with Malaysiakini. 'The question now is how PAS can attract them to our side,' Amar was quoted as saying. The challenge was to find more convincing ways to win over the non-Malays ahead of the general election, which is due by February 2028. While some PH supporters may have become disappointed with the coalition's inability to execute various reforms it had promised, he admitted that they still disliked PAS due to its perceived hardline Malay-Muslim stance. 'This is what we're currently thinking about: how to win their support,' he said, adding that the Islamic party must preserve its clean image to retain young voters. Amar also took a swipe at its Perikatan Nasional partner Gerakan for making statements that have 'harmed and undermined' PAS. He urged Gerakan, the only multiracial party in the opposition coalition, to exercise control in making public statements, adding that PAS keeps an eye on such matters. 'I have to be honest here, because occasionally their remarks have backfired. They need to be careful and exercise control, because we're part of the same coalition. There must be give and take,' he said. Gerakan has 'much to improve' in attracting Chinese voters, who have been largely supporting DAP, and Gerakan's machinery and groundwork needed improvement, while the party's image itself needed to be rebuilt, he said. In November last year, Gerakan president Dominic Lau urged PAS to declare that it will not interfere with the rights of other communities, in order to ease the concerns of non-Malays and boost their support for PN. However, PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man shot down the proposal, saying Gerakan should not blame the Islamic party for its failure to muster support from the Chinese community.
Malaysiakini
2 days ago
- Malaysiakini
PAS targets non-Malays amid criticism of Harapan on social media
Malay-Muslim based parties, including PAS, continue to face challenges in gaining the trust of non-Malay voters. However, PAS vice-president Amar Abdullah said there is now a new opportunity, as this group has become increasingly vocal in criticising the Pakatan Harapan government. 'We are focusing on...
