THE party led by former foreign affairs minister Tan Sri Anifah Aman, Parti Cinta Sabah (PCS), is now part of the ruling Sabah alliance, Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS).
GRS secretary-general Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun announced that all the component party leaders had unanimously accepted PCS into the fold today.
“The inclusion of PCS, a local party, is an important step in further strengthening political unity and cohesion in Sabah.
"We believe that with closer cooperation, we can achieve our shared goals of developing the state towards greater prosperity and well-being,” he said in a statement in Kota Kinabalu today.
GRS now comprises an alliance of eight parties: Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah, USNO, Parti Bersatu Sabah, Liberal Democratic Party, Sabah Progressive Party, Parti Harapan Rakyat Sabah, Sabah Star, and Parti Cinta Sabah.
Anifah became president of PCS on July 26, 2020, following his departure from Umno in 2018. After the election court declared the Kimanis election null and void in 2019, Anifah stayed out of the by-election in early 2020 and made way for Umno candidate Datuk Mohd Alamin, who contested and won.
PCS made its election debut in the Sabah Election in 2020 but did not win any seats. It is understood that Anifah decided to take a long break from politics since then but had expressed PCS's interest in becoming part of Gabungan Rakyat Sabah.
During the general election in 2022, Anifah endorsed Pakatan Harapan chairman Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as Prime Minister during the campaign.
Following the PH election victory, Anifah was made a Senator.
He had also been appointed by the Sabah government to become the chairman of Invest Sabah Bhd, Labuan Corporation and made the special advisor to the chief minister of Sabah on international relations and foreign investments. – The Vibes, May 22, 2024