SABAH PKR is willing to explore a three-way electoral cooperation with Sabah Barisan Nasional (BN) and Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) despite the ongoing feud between the two major coalitions.
Its chief Datuk Mustapha Sakmud said his party is open to exploring common ground with both BN and also acknowledged an invitation from GRS to discuss seat allocations.
"We welcome the proposal by the PRN17 seat negotiation committee put forward by the honourable Sabah Chief Minister recently in an effort to strengthen cooperation and maintain the existing political stability,” he said in Kota Kinabalu today.
Mustapha noted that Pakatan Harapan (PH) and BN recently held an informal discussion to “examine points of agreement and respect differences in determining Sabah's political direction, which requires a different approach from the Peninsular context.”
His statements come amid tensions between Sabah BN chairman Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin and GRS chairman Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor.
The two leaders had a falling out that led to a political crisis in early 2023, with Bung withdrawing BN’s support for Hajiji’s administration.
Mustapha shared that PH Sabah had recently formed a “Seat Negotiation Committee” and held initial discussions in preparation for the upcoming state election.
However, he clarified that PKR Sabah would complete internal consultations before engaging in formal negotiations with other parties or coalitions.
“PH and BN recently held informal talks to examine points of agreement while respecting differing views,” he said while he emphasised that Sabah’s political landscape requires a unique approach distinct from Peninsular Malaysia.
He also stressed that any cooperation must be fair and inclusive, with representation extending to appointed assemblymen, state government-linked companies (GLCs), and local community roles.
“We want an inclusive approach to ensure representation is distributed fairly, from assemblymen to GLC board members and local leaders,” Mustapha said.
Sabah will hold its state election in 2025. - November 6, 2024
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