GRS COMFORTABLE COOPERATING WITH SABAH PH

KOTA KINABALU, May 6 (Bernama) -- Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) will further strengthen the existing cooperation with Sabah Pakatan Harapan (PH), especially in the effort to develop the state and unite the people.

GRS information chief Datuk Joniston Bangkuai said GRS is very comfortable working with Sabah PH as well as other parties that are participating in cooperation to form the current state government.

He said taking into account the people's confidence in GRS and its compatibility with Sabah PH in governing the state at the moment, there is no reason for the local coalition to establish cooperation with other parties based in the Peninsula.

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"Therefore GRS will focus on realising the Sabah Maju Jaya (SMJ) agenda in developing the state and unifying the people," he said in a statement here today.

GRS component parties comprise Gagasan Rakyat, Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP), Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS), Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (STAR), United Sabah National Organisation (USNO), Parti Harapan Rakyat Sabah (PHRS) and Liberal Democratic Party ( LDP).

Joniston said in early 2022, PH Sabah chose to support GRS chairman Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor as Chief Minister of Sabah when there was a movement to overthrow the state government at that time.

"The Sabah PH's decision to support Hajiji as Chief Minister is motivated by concerns that the momentum of developing Sabah will be disrupted by the unstable political situation due to the actions of certain parties who want to overthrow the government," he said.

He said GRS also saw the desire or interest of any party to cooperate as a sign of confidence in the sincerity and seriousness of GRS as the leader of the Sabah government.

"As a coalition of local parties, GRS will always be guided by the views and sentiments of the people of Sabah in making any decisions," he said.

Yesterday, Bersatu president Tan Sri Muhyiddin said his party would examine the possibility of cooperation with GRS in the 17th Sabah State Election  while on Saturday Parti Pejuang president Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir said his party was open to cooperation with all parties in Sabah including the party administering the state government.

Meanwhile, GRS deputy secretary-general Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali said GRS is made up of several parties and all decisions, including matters of cooperation between parties, require discussion and the agreement of all parties.

"We are happy that an outside party is interested in working with us. This shows that our party is held in high esteem and is believed to be capable of governing the Sabah government," he said.

-- BERNAMA