Don’t lobby for seats, Hajiji tells GRS, allies

 

The next Sabah election is only due by October 2025, but GRS chairman Hajiji Noor has hinted at the possibility of holding it this year.

PETALING JAYA: Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) chairman Hajiji Noor has urged the coalition’s component parties and allies to focus on winning the upcoming state election instead of lobbying for seats.

According to The Borneo Post, Hajiji said “now is not the time to be lobbying for seats”.

The Sabah chief minister urged them to “consider the bigger picture” and agree to field candidates who have the best chance of winning seats at the polls.

“After all, we (GRS components) are all going to use one symbol, that is the GRS symbol. So, it is not all about seats but what we want are winnable candidates.

“I hope all our leaders will use their wisdom in continuing the struggle for the people and state development,” said the Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah president.

The Hajiji-led Sabah government is currently backed by GRS, Pakatan Harapan and a handful of Sabah Umno assemblymen.

Last month, Upko president Ewon Benedick called for a fresh formula on seat allocations among GRS component parties and said Upko aimed to contest more seats.

He drew backlash from Gagasan Rakyat Supreme Council member John Ambrose, who said Upko should not demand for seats it had no chance of winning.

Upko, a component of PH, won only one state seat in the 2020 Sabah election despite contesting 12.

Hajiji urged Gagasan Rakyat leaders to remain steadfast in their “struggle and cooperation at the grassroots level”, calling for petty issues to be put aside.

The Sabah state assembly will automatically dissolve by October next year, after which a state election will need to be held within 60 days.

Hajiji, however, previously hinted at the possibility of holding the state polls this year. - FMT