LDP urges GRS not to align with BN-Umno in state polls
Published on: Sun, Jul 13, 2025 Text Size: Chin chairs the party's supreme council meeting. KOTA KINABALU: Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has urged Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) to avoid collaborating with Barisan Nasional (BN)-Umno in the upcoming 17th Sabah state election. LDP president Datuk Chin Su Phin said it is vital for any winning coalition to maintain a good working relationship with the federal government, currently led by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim under Pakatan Harapan (PH). He noted that GRS is expected to negotiate seat distribution with PH, but emphasised the need for PH to show sincerity in the partnership, suggesting it should not contest more than 20 seats. Chin also warned that if PH and GRS fail to reach a consensus, both may contest independently and only discuss forming a new state government after the polls. He urged Chinese voters to support GRS for continued political stability and economic growth, warning that backing Parti Warisan could leave them sidelined if the party fails to form the government. * 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
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
29 minutes ago
- The Star
Russia says Ukrainian drones attacked training centre at Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant
(Reuters) -Ukrainian drones attacked a training centre at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant on Sunday evening, the Russian-installed administration of the Russia-held plant in Ukraine said on Monday. "The enemy used three unmanned aerial vehicles," the administration said on the Telegram messaging app. It added that "no critical" damage was recorded. Reuters could not independently verify the Russian report. The report comes a day after the United Nations nuclear watchdog, the IAEA, said that it had heard hundreds of rounds of small arms fire late on Saturday at the plant. Russian forces seized the Zaporizhzhia plant in the first weeks of Russia's February 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Each side regularly accuses the other of firing or taking other actions that could trigger a nuclear accident. The station, Europe's biggest nuclear power plant, is not operating but still requires power to keep its nuclear fuel cool. The plant's Russia-installed management said in its statement that the station "continues to operate normally, with all necessary safety precautions in place." (Reporting by Lidia Kelly in Warsaw; Editing by Kim Coghill)
The Star
an hour ago
- The Star
Philippines asserts arbitral win at Beijing forum
MANILA: Representatives from the Philippine Embassy in China attended a July 10 forum in Beijing where they reaffirmed the 'legal authority' of the 2016 arbitral ruling in favour of the Philippines' exclusive sovereign rights over the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea). In a statement on Sunday (July 13), the embassy said the forum organised by a Chinese think tank was held two days before the ninth anniversary of the landmark ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, where the Philippines brought its case against China in 2013. The forum 'claimed to bring together scholars, legal experts, and policymakers to engage in in-depth discussions on the historical and legal dimensions of the South China Sea,' the embassy said. But embassy representatives who attended that gathering noted the 'predominant criticism of the [arbitral] award and of Philippine policy and actions in the [South China Sea] region.' The embassy is headed by Ambassador Jaime FlorCruz, a veteran journalist who had reported extensively on Beijing. During an opportunity for an intervention, the Filipino officials asserted before that audience that the ruling, along with its annexes, 'proves the validity and legality of Philippine claims and they are available for everyone to study and read.' They also rejected the notion that the Philippines was the 'troublemaker' in the South China Sea and was refusing to engage in proper dialogue with China. 'We disagree with the notion that the Philippines is not willing to engage with China. In fact, even with the arbitral award, the Philippines has continued to make efforts to keep lines of communication open, maintain proper dialogue, and engage positively with China as well as other claimant states, both bilaterally and regionally, within the context of our legally settled claims in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos) and international law,' they told the forum. 'We hope China's actions demonstrate genuine willingness to engage and to produce constructive and positive outcomes,' they said. The Hague ruling also dismissed China's nine-dash-line claim as having no legal basis, noting that Unclos 'superseded any maritime entitlements based on historic rights in excess of the limits imposed' by that international treaty. Meanwhile US Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a statement on July 12, the anniversary of the landmark ruling, urging Beijing 'to abide by the 2016 arbitral ruling and to cease its dangerous and destabilising conduct' in the South China Sea. He also called out China for its continued defiance of the ruling, its assertion of 'unlawful and expansive maritime claims,' and aggression against its neighbours. 'Beijing's expansive claims directly infringe on the sovereign rights and jurisdictions of Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, and Indonesia, and undermine peace, stability, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific,' Rubio said on Saturday. He pointed out that the 2016 arbitral ruling was a 'significant milestone and useful basis' to resolve disputes over the South China Sea. He said the United States supports a 'free and open Indo-Pacific,' as it aims to maintain peace and stability and prioritize freedom from maritime disputes. 'We seek to preserve peace and stability, uphold freedom of navigation and overflight, maintain the free flow of trade, and oppose coercion to settle maritime disputes,' Rubio said. Foreign Secretary Teresa Lazaro on Friday also expressed concern over China's continuing rejection of the ruling, emphasising that it 'persists with illegal, coercive, and aggressive actions under cover of a revisionist, self-serving interpretation and application of international law, particularly Unclos.' She said the government continues to assert the sovereign rights of the Philippines, uphold international law and utilise the bilateral consultation mechanism on the South China Sea as well as the bilateral consular consultations mechanism with China to maintain dialogue and diplomacy at appropriate official levels. - Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN
Daily Express
an hour ago
- Daily Express
PBS: JKDM and Ambalat among the low points
Published on: Monday, July 14, 2025 Published on: Mon, Jul 14, 2025 Text Size: 'Decisions on infrastructure, education, and development must reflect our realities here, not be dictated by those in Putrajaya who may not fully understand the unique challenges we face,' said Joniston. - FMT pic Kota Kinabalu: Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) Information Chief Datuk Joniston Bangkuai said the slogan 'Rumah Kita, Kita Jaga' is a patriotic call for Sabahans to take responsibility for their own state, and not a signal of hostility towards the Federal Government. Speaking at the first joint convention of PBS and Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (Star), he said the slogan reflects the deeply personal bond Sabahans have with their homeland, echoing the state anthem's spirit of unity, responsibility and pride. He said the slogan for Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) was chosen to inspire local ownership in shaping Sabah's future and to reaffirm the importance of empowering local leadership and decision-making, particularly by Sabah-based parties. Citing lines from the state anthem such as 'Sabah tanah airku, negeri kita yang tercinta' and 'Sabah negeri merdeka', he said the slogan resonates with the call for Sabahans to stand united and to guard their homeland with resolve. 'The slogan is not anti-Federal in any way because Sabah remains committed to Malaysia. But we want to be treated as an equal partner, where our voices matter in shaping national policies. 'Decisions on infrastructure, education, and development must reflect our realities here, not be dictated by those in Putrajaya who may not fully understand the unique challenges we face,' said Joniston. He took aim at the decisions made without consulting the Sabah Government, including the setting up of the Jawatankuasa Kemajuan Desa Madani (JKDM) and the federal announcement on joint oil and gas development in the Ambalat waters. He acknowledged the increase of Sabah's special grant from RM53 million to RM600 million as a positive step, but reiterated GRS' continued demand for the return of 40pc revenue entitlement as provided for under the Federal Constitution. * 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
