Latest news with #SabahElection
The Star
5 days ago
- Politics
- The Star
All eyes on Gagasan Rakyat as it holds AGM
KOTA KINABALU: Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah's (Gagasan Rakyat) annual general meeting this weekend (July 26, 27) will be a closely watched affair. Gagasan Rakyat, the anchor party of the ruling eight-party state coalition Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS), is expected to decide if GRS will go solo or solidify its current partnership with Pakatan Harapan. Over 2,000 delegates from 74 divisions are expected to attend the annual meeting led by Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor, who is also Sabah Chief Minister. Gagasan Rakyat insiders are not expecting an outright resolution but the grassroots will likely give Hajiji and party supreme council members the mandate to decide on the party's stand for the coming Sabah Election, which is due by Nov 11. Hajiji has spoken in favour of continuing its electoral pact with Sabah Pakatan but said that any decision would have the consensus of others in GRS. He has said he had talked to Pakatan leaders including Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on a possible electoral pact. Coalition partner Sabah STAR, led by Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan, wants GRS to go solo or at the very least, to give Pakatan a minimal number of seats and to contest under the GRS logo. Another partner, Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS), led by acting president Datuk Seri Dr Joachim Gunsalam, said GRS should be the dominant party in any electoral pact and also said it would not have a pact with Barisan Nasional. Gagasan Rakyat holds the most seats in GRS with 26, while PBS and Sabah STAR hold 13 seats between them. GRS has a total of 42 seats, including those of other partners. Officiated by Hajiji, Gagasan Rakyat's AGM will kick off with a special seminar to be attended by over 400 division members, including from the women's, youth and women's youth wings. The three wings will hold their annual meetings on Saturday (July 26) followed by the Gagasan Rakyat AGM on Sunday (July 27).
Free Malaysia Today
13-07-2025
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
PN has limited options ahead of Sabah polls, say analysts
PN chairman Muhyiddin Yassin said the coalition will not cooperate with GRS in the upcoming state election. (Facebook pic) PETALING JAYA : Perikatan Nasional (PN) may be forced to contest the Sabah election on its own because of limited options in forming alliances, say political analysts. Universiti Malaya's Awang Azman Pawi said after rejecting cooperation with Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS), PN does not have many viable choices left as it is unlikely to team up with its main rivals, Pakatan Harapan (PH) and Barisan Nasional (BN). He said an alliance with Warisan was also unlikely as the party led by Shafie Apdal champions a 'Sabah for Sabahans' agenda, in contrast with PN, which is seen as a Peninsular Malaysia-oriented coalition. 'If PN goes solo, it will face significant challenges in Sabah because it still lacks strong grassroots structures in many rural areas,' Awang Azman told FMT. 'Rejecting GRS may be symbolic of PN's confidence, but it carries risks, especially given the fluid and highly localised nature of Sabah politics.' Yesterday, PN chairman Muhyiddin Yassin said the coalition would not cooperate with GRS in the state election because of what he described as a betrayal by GRS after its leaders, then in Bersatu, left in November 2022 following the outcome of the 16th general elections (GE16). However, Muhyiddin said PN was open to exploring electoral alliances with other parties. Syahruddin Awang Ahmad of Universiti Malaysia Sabah said PN may have to rely on the popularity of its national leaders, an appealing manifesto, and aggressive campaigning if it contests the election independently. He said this would be difficult because of the dominance of local parties in Sabah politics, something PN lacks given that its component parties consist of Bersatu, PAS, Gerakan and the Malaysian Indian People's Party. While local parties like Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku and Parti Maju Sabah were once part of PN, they left to join GRS, which is led by chief minister Hajiji Noor. In terms of potential alliances, Syahruddin said PN could explore partnerships with local parties unentangled in federal-level conflicts, such as Parti Kesejahteraan Demokratik Masyarakat. 'Even influential independent candidates in constituencies like Tambunan, Tenom and Kudat could be strategic picks. 'By rejecting GRS, PN may be forced to get creative in forming alliances in Sabah. They might also aim to be seen not just as a national party, but also as a relevant local player,' he said. Tony Paridi Bagang of Universiti Teknologi Mara Sabah said PN could face stiff competition if it contests the election independently, making it difficult to win a significant number of the 73 state assembly seats up for grabs. However, he believed that there are still opportunities for political cooperation given the current fluidity of the political landscape. 'Winning a large number of seats may be difficult for PN, but in politics, nothing is impossible. Political cooperation is still possible, provided there are mutual agreements with other parties,' he said.
Malay Mail
13-07-2025
- Politics
- Malay Mail
Sabah CM: No state polls yet as GRS leaders must first decide on assembly dissolution
PENAMPANG, July 13 — The decision to advise the Yang Dipertua Negeri Sabah, Tun Musa Aman, to dissolve the State Legislative Assembly will only be made after a consensus is reached among Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) component parties, said its chairman, Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor. Hajiji, who is also the Chief Minister, said that while he holds the prerogative to advise Tun Musa on the matter, he prefers for the decision to be made collectively, in line with GRS' commitment to joint decision-making. 'We are in GRS, and any decision must go through the Supreme Council. I will discuss and inform the party presidents when the time comes to dissolve the assembly,' he told reporters after closing the Parti Bersatu Sabah-Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (PBS-STAR) Convention here yesterday. However, he did not indicate when the discussion with the Supreme Council would be held. When asked whether he would allow the assembly to dissolve automatically this November, Hajiji said the matter would be considered carefully. On July 6, Bernama reported that the 16th Sabah State Assembly would automatically dissolve on Nov 11 if not dissolved earlier, according to speaker Datuk Seri Kadzim M Yahya. GRS comprises Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah, PBS, STAR, Parti Maju Sabah, United Sabah National Organisation (USNO), Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Parti Harapan Rakyat Sabah and Parti Cinta Sabah. Commenting on speculation that GRS may contest the 17th Sabah state election independently, Hajiji said the matter would also be discussed at the Supreme Council level. Meanwhile, Hajiji described the PBS-STAR Convention as a historic milestone that strengthens local political cooperation and signals GRS' readiness to face the state election with a strong, united, and credible leadership lineup. He said the close collaboration between the two local parties reflects political maturity, prioritising the interests of the people and the state over political differences. 'This convention not only reflects the spirit of unity among local parties with their own histories and principles, but also demonstrates that GRS is ready to move forward as a coalition that truly represents the aspirations of the people of Sabah,' he said. — Bernama
Free Malaysia Today
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
Sabah assembly sitting may be last before state polls, says Hajiji
The current state assembly term will expire automatically on Nov 11, if it is not dissolved earlier. (Bernama pic) PETALING JAYA : Sabah chief minister Hajiji Noor has hinted that the state assembly sitting today could be the last before the next state election. According to a Borneo Post report, when asked if it marked the end of the current legislative term, Hajiji replied with a smile: 'More or less, yes.' He, however, declined to give a timeline on when the assembly would be dissolved. 'I cannot say that now… just wait. Be patient, it won't be long. I will dream about what date is best,' he said. Hajiji said discussions on seat allocations among Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) component parties and their allies are still ongoing, on the basis of a GRS-PH state government. State assembly speaker Kadzim Yahya recently said the current state assembly term would expire automatically on Nov 11, if it is not dissolved earlier.
Free Malaysia Today
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
Fielding non-Muslims in Sabah a waste of time for PAS, says analyst
Sabah PAS yesterday said it is open to fielding non-Muslim candidates in the upcoming state election, expected to be held later this year. (Bernama pic) PETALING JAYA : An analyst has dismissed PAS's plan to field non-Muslim candidates in the upcoming Sabah state election, describing it as futile and out of touch with local political dynamics. Tawfik Yaakub, a political analyst at Universiti Malaya, said the decision was a political gamble that could have long-term repercussions for the party. Speaking to FMT, Tawfik said PAS's non-Muslim supporters' wing in Sabah had limited reach, with only some 1,000 members from the Dusun and Chinese communities. 'In my view, PAS is chasing an unrealistic goal – it's a waste of time and a disconnect from reality. 'Politics in Sabah is not like politics in Peninsular Malaysia,' he said. Meanwhile, Mazlan Ali of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia said it would be difficult for PAS to win a seat in Sabah, even with non-Muslim candidates. He also said it was almost certain that Sabahans would not vote for a PAS candidate if the party used its own logo at the polls. 'There's a chance of winning if they use the Perikatan Nasional logo, provided that the voters aren't aware that the candidate is from PAS,' said Mazlan. 'However, their opponents will likely campaign against PAS by pointing out that the candidate is from PAS. If the voters know, they may think twice before choosing the PAS candidate.' National Council of Professors fellow Azmi Hassan previously said that PAS's 'extreme rhetoric' had led to a negative perception of the party in East Malaysia, which it would find difficult to dispel. He also said that parties in Sabah and Sarawak were inclined to prioritise the best interests of their states, particularly regarding their rights under the Malaysia Agreement 1963. Sabah PAS yesterday said it was open to fielding non-Muslim candidates in the upcoming state election, expected to be held later this year. PAS previously said it would contest at least six of the 73 seats in the Sabah state assembly. Sabah PAS commissioner Aliakbar Gulasan is one of six assemblymen appointed by the state government after the 2020 state election. PAS did not contest any seats in that election.
