Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) has reaffirmed its intention to work with Pakatan Harapan (PH) in the upcoming 17th Sabah state election, with Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor saying talks between the two partners in government would be held soon.
Hajiji said no date has been set for formal discussions, but stressed that any decision on electoral alliances would be made by GRS and its current partners under the GRS-PH Plus state administration.
“We are the government. God willing, we will hold discussions with PH in the near future,” Hajiji told reporters at the Gagasan Rakyat open house for the Sungai Sibuga division in Sandakan on Saturday.
The GRS chairman was responding to questions on whether PH leaders had initiated any meetings with GRS to explore cooperation ahead of the election, which must be held by next year.
His remarks come days after Barisan Nasional (BN) Sabah announced it wants to work with PH in the state polls—an alliance Hajiji appeared to downplay, insisting it was GRS and not BN that led the current government.
“The state government is GRS-PH Plus. This is clear. But in politics, we seek what is best for unity and political stability in Sabah,” he said.
“Our doors remain open to those who want to work with us—but it is the ruling coalition that will decide who its election partners are,” he said.
The remarks reinforce a similar signal Hajiji gave during the final day of the Sabah State Assembly sitting on Thursday, where he hinted that GRS would maintain PH as its preferred partner despite BN’s overtures.
The Sulaman assemblyman had also indicated its keeness to work with PH late last year to PH chairman Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Meanwhile, the open house drew an estimated 5,000 attendees and included cultural performances and donations to 74 Maahad Tahfiz students, teachers and orphans.
Also present were several state ministers and Gagasan Rakyat leaders, including secretary-general Datuk Mohamed Razali Mohamed Razi and Sungai Sibuga division chief Datuk Amirshah Yaakub.
Hajiji later attended another open house hosted by appointed assemblyman Datuk Jaffari Waliam in Kampung Kenangan Manis, where he presented appointment letters to local Village Development and Security Committees (JKKK). – April 19, 2025
