Sabah State Assembly Officially Dissolved Today

KOTA KINABALU, Oct 6 (Bernama) -- The Sabah State Legislative Assembly has been officially dissolved today to make way for the 17th Sabah State Election.

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor made the announcement at a press conference after attending a lunch meeting with state leaders and backbenchers at Menara Kinabalu, the state’s administrative centre here. 

Hajiji, who is also the chairman of Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS), said the dissolution was consented to by Sabah Governor Tun Musa Aman during their meeting this morning.

Present at the press conference were Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Dr Joachim Gunsalam, who is also acting President of Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS), along with other members of the state Cabinet.

Also in attendance were leaders of GRS component parties, including Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia, president of the United Sabah National Organisation (USNO); Datuk Chin Su Phin, president of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP); Tan Sri Liew Yun Fah, president of Parti Harapan Rakyat Sabah (Harapan Rakyat); and Tan Sri Anifah Aman, president of Parti Cinta Sabah (PCS).

Joining them were Sabah Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman and United Progressive Kinabalu Organisation (UPKO) president Datuk Ewon Benedick, as well as other PH leaders, including Sabah DAP chairman Datuk Phoong Jin Zhe.

The Sabah State Assembly consists of 79 seats, 73 of which are elected, while six are appointed members.

In the 16th State Election held in 2020, GRS, which was then aligned with Perikatan Nasional (PN), Barisan Nasional (BN), PBS, and independent assemblymen, secured 41 out of the 73 contested seats, forming the state government. Warisan won 23 seats while PH secured nine.

GRS was formally registered in March 2022, comprising Bersatu, PBS, Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (STAR), and Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP). BN and PAS were not part of the coalition.

However, in November 2022, Hajiji and other Bersatu leaders left the party and formed Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah (Gagasan Rakyat), leading to Bersatu being removed from GRS.

By January 2023, BN withdrew support for the GRS-led state government, but PH stepped in to provide support, allowing the state administration under Hajiji to remain intact.

Last Thursday, GRS secretary-general Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun announced that STAR and SAPP would contest the upcoming State Election using their respective party logos rather than the GRS emblem. As a result, both parties are no longer considered part of the coalition, in line with GRS’s ruling that component parties must contest under a common symbol.

At present, GRS consists of Gagasan Rakyat, PBS, USNO, LDP, Harapan Rakyat and PCS, and the ruling coalition holds 42 seats in the State Legislative Assembly. 

The opposition, on the other hand, comprises Warisan with 14 seats, BN (12), PH (seven), Parti Kesejahteraan Demokratik Masyarakat (two) and PAS (one).

One seat, Sungai Sibuga, remains vacant following the death of incumbent Datuk Mohamad Hamsan Awang Supain (BN) in January.

-- BERNAMA