Need for political stability drives BN-GRS cooperation to form new Sabah govt: Zahid

 

Cooperation between BN and Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) in forming the new Sabah government is rooted in the shared goal of ensuring political stability for the state’s continued development and prosperity, Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said.

He said the formation of the state administration, which also includes five Independent assemblypersons and several other parties, reflects the political reality that circumstances have changed since the state election.

“Cabinet appointments are fully the prerogative of the chief minister (Hajiji Noor) with the consent of the Sabah governor (Musa Aman). We know GRS alone does not have enough seats to form the government. They have 29 seats, while BN holds six.

“Although BN and GRS did not contest the election together, the post-election landscape has shifted. In Putrajaya, we have a unity government.

“In that same spirit of stability, BN and GRS agreed to form a unity government in Sabah, along with five Independent assemblypersons who are originally from GRS and other parties,” he told reporters after officiating the Cyberjaya Conversations Summit 2025 today.

Zahid, who is also BN chairperson, said this in response to reports that 12 GRS assemblypersons were unhappy with the decision to bring Sabah BN into the new state government following the 17th state polls last Saturday.

He also cautioned against arrogance or rigidity in assessing political decisions, stressing that cooperation is essential to ensure stable governance.

“Appointments have been made. This is the political reality. Do not allow arrogance to cloud judgment, because politics is pragmatic, and we must accept that stability is vital for the well-being of the people of Sabah,” he said.

In the 17th Sabah state election, GRS won 29 of the 73 seats, followed by Warisan (25), BN (six), Independents (five), Upko (three), Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (two) and one seat each for Perikatan Nasional, Parti Kesejahteraan Demokratik Masyarakat and Pakatan Harapan.

Early Sunday morning, Hajiji was sworn in as the 17th chief minister. On Monday, 10 assemblypersons took their oaths as members of the state cabinet before Musa at Istana Seri Kinabalu.

The new Sabah cabinet comprises seven GRS assemblypersons and one each from Upko, Harapan and BN.

- Bernama