GRS and Barisan electoral pact unlikely in Sabah state election

The Star

3 days ago

KOTA KINABALU: An electoral pact between Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) and Barisan Nasional in the upcoming state election is improbable, according to Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah (Gagasan Rakyat) vice president Datuk Masiung Banah.
He stated that it is unlikely for GRS and its former ally-turned-adversary Barisan to form an electoral understanding now, as it would confuse voters.
This response follows Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's desire for all three parties—Barisan, GRS, and Pakatan Harapan—to avoid contesting against each other in the state election.
Pakatan, led by Anwar, has already established a seat-sharing formula with Barisan and is working on a similar arrangement with GRS, led by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor.
The current political arrangement sees Pakatan candidates not being challenged by either GRS or Barisan, while GRS and Barisan are expected to contest against each other in certain seats. All three coalitions are part of the federal unity government.
The ongoing localised enmity between GRS, led by Hajiji, and Sabah Barisan, led by Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin, has prevented any form of electoral pact in the upcoming state election.
In the 2020 snap state election, GRS and Barisan teamed up to overthrow the Warisan-Pakatan Harapan state government led by Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal. However, Barisan withdrew its support for GRS in January 2023, though Hajiji remained in power with support from Sabah Pakatan assemblymen.
Sabah Barisan has stayed in opposition at the state level and is critical of Hajiji's GRS government for not fulfilling agreed promises when they joined forces in 2020.
"It is impossible for an understanding to be reached between GRS and Barisan, as it will confuse voters. After all, GRS and Pakatan have already reached a consensus to continue political cooperation," Masiung stated.
On Sunday (Aug 3), Anwar mentioned that efforts were underway to prevent the three coalitions from contesting against each other in the 73 state seats, despite conflicts between Barisan and GRS.
Anwar admitted that achieving no clashes in all seats might be difficult but hoped discussions would lead to a solution.
Masiung, however, emphasised that if cooperation among the three coalitions is necessary, they would want Hajiji to lead the seat negotiations, as Anwar stated in Tawau on May 11.
He asserted that GRS would not agree with Anwar's proposal for the three coalitions to form a 'triangular' electoral pact.
Masiung added that GRS and Pakatan were already collaborating well, with strong political cooperation and governance.
He noted that GRS has lost confidence in Barisan-Umno, which previously criticised cooperation with GRS and Pakatan after the January 2023 coup attempt, dubbed 'Kinabalu's move.'
Since then, Sabah Umno and its leaders have continued to undermine the GRS-Pakatan state government through various strategies.
"Sabah Umno and Barisan Sabah have decided not to work with GRS. We hope the Prime Minister respects our position and keeps his promise to allow Hajiji to lead seat negotiations with the coalitions," he added.