Bung rules out talks with GRS ahead of state polls
KINABATANGAN:
Sabah Umno chief Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin has ruled out any possibility of political negotiations with Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) ahead of the upcoming state election.
He said his lack of trust in GRS stems from the very beginning, citing concerns over the coalition's leadership.
Advertisement
'People know my stand from the start - I have no confidence in GRS,' he told reporters at the Radu Tetap Radu programme in Kampung Nusa Jaya on Sunday.
Bung criticised party-hopping among GRS leaders, describing it as a betrayal of the people's mandate.
SPONSORED CONTENT
'When someone keeps switching parties, it shows they are thinking only of themselves, not the people,' he added.
He also called for clear and firm decisions from all parties on whether to contest solo or not in the state polls.
Advertisement
Touching on Sabah Umno's preparations, Bung said candidates would be selected based on grassroots support, not personal ties, and confirmed he would defend his Lamag seat.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
25 minutes ago
- The Star
Sabah assembly could dissolve within days of Gagasan Rakyat congress, says analysts
KOTA KINABALU: Political watchers are weighing in on the possibility of Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor dissolving the state assembly within days after his Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah (Gagasan Rakyat) three-day congress from July 25-27. With only four months to the automatic dissolution on Nov 11, some analysts speculate that Hajiji is likely to call for it before National Day (Aug 31), though some within Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) are keen for elections to take place after Malaysia Day (Sept 16). However, it is still not clear if Hajiji will call for a GRS supreme council meeting immediately after his party's congress to discuss dates for dissolution. A GRS leader indicated that there was no scheduled GRS supreme council meeting or any planned convention among parties scheduled for this month so far. But, they expect Hajiji to have a clear mandate from his party on its alliances and preferred dissolution dates after his party's congress. Some members within the eight-party GRS prefer going it the full term as they could capitalise on Sabah Day, which is the celebration of the state's independence from British colonial rule on Aug 31, 1963. They have indicated celebrating Sabah Day would boost the local coalition's push for state autonomy in line with the growing groundswell for state rights under the Malaysia Agreement 1963, the basis of Sabah joining the federation. Though many feel that it makes little difference, some leaders think that celebrating Sabah Day before the election would be a booster and help create a feel-good mood for GRS caught in delayed infrastructure deliveries and graft issues. Hajiji, himself, has said that he will get the consensus of GRS leaders before advising the Governor Tun Musa Aman on the dissolution of the assembly. Political analyst Prof Dr Romzi Ationg, a senior lecturer of Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), believes that Hajiji was likely to seek the dissolution of the assembly within days after the Gagasan Rakyat congress. "I don't think Hajiji will wait longer, I believe the Chief Minister needs to weigh in on the views of some of his federal counterparts who want to see an election held sooner. "But many are hoping GRS opts for a full term as they are in a dire need to, at least, minimise, if not, solve many problems such as water shortages, electricity issues etc. "Despite that, many are of the opinion that Hajiji will likely dissolve the current assembly after the Gagasan Rakyat congress," he said, explaining that holding the 17th state election in September or October could be considered going a full term as the 16th state election was held on Sept 26, 2020. Gagasan Rakyat, a Muslim native based multiracial party, with its 26 state seats, is the anchor party of GRS, while non-Muslim based Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) with seven seats and Sabah STAR with six seats are the major partners of GRS. GRS holds 42 seats in the 79-seat (including six nominated seats) state assembly. Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) and Parti Harapan Rakyat Sabah (Harapan Rakyat) have one seat each, while other GRS component partners without a seat are the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Parti Cinta Sabah (PCS) and Usno. GRS is currently in coalition with Sabah Pakatan Harapan, who hold seven state seats. GRS is ready to continue to work with Sabah Pakatan in an electoral pact for the election, but most of its components insist that GRS should be the dominant partner in line with the state's autonomous rights. Sabah Barisan, which broke away from the GRS government in January 2023, is forging a coalition with Sabah Pakatan in line with the political framework of the federal unity government. Both GRS and Barisan have refused to work with each other.
Malaysiakini
2 hours ago
- Malaysiakini
Puad tells Bar to swap street protests with parliamentary parleys
Umno supreme council member Puad Zarkashi criticised the Malaysian Bar for holding their "Walk to Safeguard Judicial Independence" protest in Putrajaya, saying it was unbecoming of their image as legal practitioners. In a statement today, Puad said the group should have taken a different approach instead, like calling for a meeting with the government, to voice out their concerns over an ongoing judicial scandal.
Daily Express
9 hours ago
- Daily Express
Bung rules out election talks with GRS
Published on: Tuesday, July 15, 2025 Published on: Tue, Jul 15, 2025 Text Size: 'So I do not care about this GRS,' said Bung. KINABATANGAN: Sabah Umno Chief Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin reiterated his stance of not entering into any negotiations with Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) ahead of the coming 17th state election. He said as far as Umno was concerned, many GRS leaders could not be trusted and had breached signed agreements. Advertisement Asked about GRS' direction for the polls, Bung said if the coalition has decided, it should just go ahead and say so without further twists and turns. 'It's not that difficult. I have said many times, I do not trust and have no confidence in GRS,' he said, adding that leaders who jump from one party to another are traitors who only think for themselves, and would eventually betray the people. 'So I do not care about this GRS,' said Bung. Over the weekend, there was a growing push from grassroots supporters in Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) and Sabah Star for the ruling coalition to go into the polls on its own. With the Sabah State Legislative Assembly due to be dissolved by Nov 11, political parties have been locked in discussions over possible electoral pacts. The situation remains fluid amid local political rivalries and a groundswell of support for Sabah to regain its autonomous rights through local parties. GRS is in a coalition with Sabah Pakatan Harapan in the State Government, while Barisan Nasional remains in the opposition in Sabah. Sabah Barisan and Sabah Pakatan are discussing an electoral pact, while Hajiji is keen to work with Sabah Pakatan, without Barisan. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
