GABUNGAN Rakyat Sabah (GRS) does not see an issue managing its larger stable of eight parties and the smaller slice of seats it must share for the coming Sabah election.
Its secretary-general Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun said that a larger alliance demonstrates stronger political unity and there was nothing irregular for one party getting more seats than the others if the main goal was to win elections.
“The rationale for having a larger number is to present a united front (such as) claiming Sabah’s 40% revenue rights and all other state rights enshrined in the Federal Constitution,” Masidi said at a function in Kota Kinabalu today.
The pool of parties in GRS had just got bigger recently with the inclusion of the party led by Senator Tan Sri Anifah Aman, Parti Cinta Sabah (PCS).
GRS now is 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.
Sabah’s political history has shown that a large coalition accommodating to diverse agendas often lead to internal conflicts, inefficiency in decision-making, and compromised policies.
This has resulted in instability, weak leadership, and difficulty maintaining a unified stance. Sabah had also seen the state government collapse due to parties deciding to switch allegiances.
“If such issues arise, Gabungan Rakyat Sabah leaders can have periodic meetings where any of them can raise their concerns and they can be discussed internally,” Masidi said.
He also noted that there is no reason for component parties to squabble over seat distributions, as all candidates will contest under the GRS symbol.
“So, regardless of which party he or she comes from, they are still a GRS candidate. Although it is normal for one party to get more seats than another, at the end of the day, it is about choosing the most winnable candidate,” he said.
The Sabah government’s term expires in September 2025. Sabah has 73 state seats. – May 27, 2024
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