Latest news with #Pakatan-Barisan
The Star
10-05-2025
- Politics
- The Star
GRS can still be accommodated in PH-BN electoral pact, says Sabah PKR chief
KOTA KINABALU: Pakatan Harapan and Barisan Nasional, which have formalised an electoral pact for the state election, are still open to accommodating Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS), says Datuk Mustapha Sakmud. The Sabah PKR chairman said there was still space for discussions with GRS and other local parties to be part of a larger electoral pact involving both local and national parties. "We are still open to cooperation with GRS. Let us avoid clashes or conflicts. "We know that GRS wants to be the dominant party in the state government and we respect that," he told reporters after opening an education exhibition at North Borneo University College here Saturday (May 10). Mustapha believes that Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor, who is GRS chairman, could discuss further the issue of cooperation when Pakatan chairman Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim attends the closing of the state-level Madani Rakyat programme in Tawau on Sunday (May 11). Mustapha said the announcement for the Sabah electoral pact between Pakatan and Barisan on Friday (May 9) was made by the leadership in Kuala Lumpur and was done after consultation with Sabah Pakatan leaders. Hajiji, who has been seeking a pact with Pakatan without estranged Sabah Barisan, immediately responded that GRS would go solo if the Pakatan-Barisan pact goes ahead. "We hope for early discussions with GRS in line with the Prime Minister's aspiration to preserve the unity of the federal government. If possible, we want to bring that unity to the state level as well. "If GRS ultimately decides to go solo, it is their prerogative. We are prepared for all possible scenarios, including the worst-case one," Mustapha said, adding that different scenarios in politics were normal. "We try to avoid clashes, but if they happen, we will face them," he said, adding that the final decision is made by the voters. GRS has been in a coalition government with Sabah Pakatan since January 2023 after Sabah Barisan led by Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin pulled out their support for Hajiji and GRS.
The Star
10-05-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Political shifts ahead of Sabah polls 'more interesting', says Liew
KOTA KINABALU: Sabah PKR political bureau chairman Datuk Christina Liew has remained silent on potential political realignments ahead of the next state election. This comes amidst speculation that Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) may contest solo if Pakatan Harapan and Barisan Nasional confirm their partnership. GRS chairman Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor said on Friday (May 9) that the Sabah-based coalition intends to contest the upcoming state polls alone after Sabah Pakatan aligned with the national Pakatan-Barisan decision to work together. 'I honestly do not know what is going on. I read that the Chief Minister (Hajiji) said he would make an announcement after the upcoming state legislative assembly is dissolved, so we will have to wait and see,' said Liew at the MATTA Fair Sabah 2025 launch on Saturday (May 10). Asked whether Sabah PKR was preparing for any possible realignment, Liew, who is also the state Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister, declined to speculate. 'This is a serious matter. I would like to have more definite answers before commenting. But it is getting more and more interesting,' she added. Liew, who is also Api-Api assemblyman, stressed that political developments would not deter her focus on serving the people. 'Whatever happens, whether there are changes or not, we will continue to serve the people in our constituencies. That remains our priority,' she said. The next state election in Sabah is expected to reshape political alignments as coalitions weigh their grassroots strength amid shifting voter sentiment. Although United Progressive Kinabalu Organisation (Upko) and Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS) are local parties, they are currently aligned with Sabah Pakatan and Sabah Barisan, respectively. With Hajiji signalling a solo path for GRS, observers say Sabah may witness a showdown between local-based and national-based political coalitions.
The Star
10-05-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Sabah polls: Is it shaping up to be a contest between national, local parties?
KOTA KINABALU: Will it be a battle between national coalitions versus state-based parties for the 17th Sabah state election due by November this year? Battle lines are being drawn with Pakatan Harapan and Barisan Nasional catching its local unity government partner Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) off guard when the national coalitions announced an electoral pact without local partners. The eight-party GRS ruling coalition led by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor quickly reacted saying that it was prepared to go "solo" if the national coalitions decided to go ahead without local parties being the dominant lead force. The national coalitions' unilateral announcement clearly reflected a stalemate in electoral pact discussions involving Pakatan-Barisan and GRS, which has been seeking a possible electoral pact with Pakatan without its estranged partner Sabah Barisan. According to political circles, GRS, led by anchor partner Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah (Gagasan Rakyat) under Hajiji, has been pussyfooting on the proposal for a GRS-Pakatan-Barisan electoral pact that will share 73 state seats equally. The political sources said that Hajiji, who had to also contend with other GRS partners wanting to go solo, was pushing for a electoral tie-up with Sabah Pakatan without Sabah Barisan-Umno led by Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin. Political analyst Dr Romzi Ationg noted that the decision for Barisan and Pakatan to reach a pact for the Sabah election was to ensure the federal unity government remains strong and stable. "The Pakatan-Barisan pact is aimed at making sure the federal government remains strong. "There is also a strong belief that the collaboration will enable the two national coalitions to gain a number of seats in the coming state election," observed Dr Romzi, an associate professor with Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS). Romzi dismisses the idea that the national coalitions might lose without influential local partners as both Pakatan-Barisan still have strong political support in a number of areas throughout Sabah. However, Romzi believes that there was still a window open for Pakatan-Barisan and GRS to come to a pact ahead of the state election. Political analyst Tony Paridi Bagang said GRS's move to contest the election "independently" was in line with its core pledge that Sabah should be governed by a locally-based party or coalition. "This move of going solo underscores GRS's narrative of asserting greater autonomy in state leadership," said Bagang, a lecturer with Sabah UiTM. Bagang, however, said that it will serve as a critical litmus test for GRS's political strength, while also challenging the entrenched dominance of national-based coalitions in shaping Sabah's political landscape. "The latest political developments are set to gauge the 'resilience and adaptability' of the two national coalitions. "It will reveal how deeply rooted the public sentiment for local autonomy truly is and whether it undermines their appeal," added Bagang when viewing Sabah's politics possibly being reshaped with national parties and local parties at loggerheads. Bagang said that the final results, however, will also depend on key factors such as campaign resources, party machinery and the dynamics of federal-state relations. Sabah Barisan, comprised of four parties, has only Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS) led by Datuk Arthur Kurup as a local entity and does not hold any seat in the state assembly. The four-party Sabah Pakatan also has only one local party - Upko, led by Datuk Ewon Benedict, who is also Sabah Pakatan chairman. Upko has one state seat currently. GRS with 42 assemblymen in the 79-member assembly, is currently in a coalition with Sabah Pakatan whose seven assemblymen backed Hajiji after Sabah Barisan led by Bung pulled out its support in January 2023. Sabah Barisan with 13 assemblymen (including two suspended for supporting GRS) remains in the Opposition bench. Two other federal unity government parties - Parti Warisan led by Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal with 14 assemblymen and Parti KDM with two assemblymen - have also remained in Opposition to the GRS-led state government. Sabah PAS, which is in Opposition to the national unity government, is supporting GRS.
