PARTI Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) has rejected a claim by Umno that 33 state seats have been allocated to Pakatan Harapan (PH) under an electoral arrangement with Barisan Nasional (BN), saying no such discussion or agreement has taken place.
The party deputy information chief Razeef Rakimin questioned the basis of Sabah Umno’s claim, which suggested that PH had agreed to a 40-33 seat distribution for the upcoming 17th Sabah state election (PRN17).
“We don’t know where Suhaimi got the figure of 40 seats from, and we don’t know who he discussed it with,” said Razeef, referring to Datuk Suhaimi Nasir, who had earlier claimed that PH had agreed not to contest in BN-held areas and would instead take 33 seats.
“Pakatan Harapan has yet to meet either BN or GRS formally to discuss electoral cooperation, let alone seat allocation,” Razeef who is also the Sabah PKR information chief said.
While Suhaimi described the arrangement as a settled understanding between allies, PKR’s response casts doubt on any formal consensus between PH and BN, highlighting disjointed coordination within the federal coalition in Sabah.
The statement comes amid friction between Sabah BN and Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS), with both coalitions vying for influence ahead of the state election.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor has expressed openness to working with PH, while Sabah Umno appears to be moving independently — fuelling speculation about competing electoral strategies among federal partners.
Razeef stressed that PH Sabah remains open to working with parties that share its vision for the state but insisted such matters must be addressed through formal channels.
“We urge Umno to advise their leaders in Sabah not to issue unilateral statements, especially on such critical matters. Negotiations should come first — not announcements,” he said.
Sabah PH chairman-designate Datuk Ewon Benedick, whose position was recently challenged by Sabah PKR, has not commented on the matter.
In a separate personal comment, Razeef said he had confirmed with PH leaders that no discussions had taken place with BN.
He also criticised Sabah BN leaders for repeatedly making such claims “despite never meeting with PH,” and questioned their motives for “continuing to mislead.” – May 1, 2025
