GRS should take on BN in Sabah, says Armizan

New Straits Times

a day ago

KUALA LUMPUR: Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) deputy secretary-general Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali says the coalition should take on Barisan Nasional in the coming state election.
The domestic trade and cost of living minister said a clash between the two coalitions would allow the people to choose who they wanted to administer the state.
He added this would be in line with Sabah BN chief Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin's wish for the coalition and Pakatan Harapan (PH) to contest the polls without GRS.
"Everyone must fulfil Bung Moktar's wish. No one, at any level, should disregard his autonomous stance as the Sabah Umno chief."
He said a clash would erase doubts about which coalition was stronger and enjoyed the support of the people.
"There will be no more accusations that party A's candidate won not because of their own strength, but because of party B, and vice versa," he said in a statement today.
On June 2, Bung said he would only consider cooperation with GRS after the election, citing Sabah Umno's bitter experience with GRS.
Armizan said, however, that his stance was his personal view and did not officially represent GRS.
He said GRS was open to continuing cooperation with the core parties which formed the state government, GRS and PH.
"We should appreciate PH's stance, which prioritised stability by rejecting the 'Langkah Kinabalu' (Kinabalu Move) previously and choosing to support Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor remaining as chief minister.
"I see that the government is functioning very well today through the existing cooperation.
"I think looking at the voices and sentiments of GRS leaders and supporters at the grassroots, they want to battle it out with BN," he said.
He added that being part of the Unity Government at the federal level should not be an obstacle.
"Firstly, the memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the formation of the Unity Government does not state that this cooperation must extend to the state level.
"The state election is to choose the state government, not the federal government.
"Secondly, what is important is the commitment of all parties, as stated in the Unity Government MoU, to ensure that the Unity Government at the federal level is maintained until the stipulated period."
He added that clashes among parties within the federal government during state elections are not new and have happened in Sabah, Melaka, and Johor in the past.