SABAH Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor has signalled a retreat from his earlier openness to aligning Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) with Pakatan Harapan (PH), following Barisan Nasional’s (BN) entry into the equation.
Speaking at an event in Kunak, he said any future cooperation must now be decided by the GRS Supreme Council.
The political recalibration comes after BN and PH officially announced in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday their electoral pact for Sabah election — a move which shifted the dynamics for GRS.
The GRS chairman initial reaction to this was that they are ready to go solo, but he seems to have changed his tune following his meeting with PH chairman and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on Sunday in Tawau.
Anwar had pitched a broader three-way electoral pact of GRS-PH-BN to Hajiji.
The PH-BN pact comes amid an unresolved rift between GRS and BN in Sabah — dating back to a political fallout in early 2023.
This appears to be complicating the political pact.
Hajiji stressed GRS must deliberate internally before making any official commitment.
“I met with the Prime Minister and we respect his views and advice on how to achieve political stability in Sabah.
“But whatever decision we make for the state election will be referred to the GRS Supreme Council for approval,” Hajiji said.
GRS comprises Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah, Parti Bersatu Sabah, Sabah Progressive Party, Sabah STAR, United Sabah National Organisation, Parti Cinta Sabah, Liberal Democratic Party, and Parti Harapan Rakyat Sabah.
Hajiji noted that the current state government already includes PH under the GRS-PH Plus arrangement while he maintained that GRS has no issue working with others.
However, he stressed that local political realities require careful consideration.
“I told the Prime Minister that in Sabah, we must consider local aspirations to build the political understanding needed to move forward,” he said.
Last December, Hajiji already expressed his keenness to work with PH and the leaders of the Sabah chapter of PH also indicated the same interest.
But it was the PH and BN cooperation that was officially announced first despite earlier signals of a GRS-PH cooperation making rounds in Sabah.
Hajiji who is also Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah president at the same time was also facing pressures from within GRS as some of the key allies want the state alliance to go solo in the upcoming Sabah election.
Sabah Star president Datuk Seri Jeffrey Kitingan, SAPP president Datuk Seri Yong Teck Lee and Usno president Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia had indicated such sentiments previously.
Regardless of whether the pact is sealed before or after the election, the combination of Sabah’s anti-party hopping law and the removal of Article 6(7) of the state constitution could open the door to post-election horse trading — potentially allowing a minority party to secure the chief minister’s post through political bargaining.
Meanwhile, Hajiji argued that Sabahans prefer a government led by local parties, reiterating GRS’s ambition to lead the next state government.
Hajiji also brushed off criticisms of being a “weak” leader, saying he remained committed to defending Sabah’s interests.
“People may call me soft or sentimental, but they don’t really know me. I am not afraid to fight because I know the people are with GRS,” he said.
On another development, Hajiji announced several local development initiatives, including the gazettement of land for Kampung Kunak Jaya and a RM1.2 million allocation to build a jetty in Kampung Pangkalan.
He also urged voters in Kunak to back GRS in the upcoming polls to ensure continuity of development in the district. - May 12, 2025
