DATUK Seri Hajiji Noor faces a key test whether he can bring the rest of Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) with his electoral cooperation with Pakatan Harapan (PH), or whether internal dissent will grow louder in the months ahead.
The challenge comes as his party heads into its three-day convention this weekend, an event that could determine the coalition’s strategic direction ahead of the state election, due by November 11, when the assembly is set for automatic dissolution.
Tensions have simmered for months within the eight-party GRS coalition over Hajiji’s push to align with the national-based PH.
While the chief minister has made no secret of his preference, multiple coalition leaders say the matter has never been formally discussed or decided at the GRS Supreme Council level.
This lack of internal consultation has fuelled concern that Hajiji may press ahead without securing consensus.
The situation is further complicated by Hajiji’s earlier assurance that any such move would be made with the agreement of all GRS party presidents, a commitment he made following objections raised by USNO president Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia in May.
Yet, in a recent report, the Sulaman assemblyman reaffirmed his position in favour of working with PH, despite internal calls for GRS to contest the election on its own.
Some within the coalition now believe the partnership is already sealed, citing Hajiji’s repeated public statements and the lack of resistance from PH’s leadership, even though no formal endorsement has been issued by GRS.
It remains unclear whether the PH question will be openly raised during Gagasan Rakyat’s upcoming annual general meeting.
Some observers believe the party may choose to avoid the topic altogether to contain the ongoing friction.
Still, several GRS component parties are believed to be against the tie-up, and some leaders have called for the coalition to contest, if not all 73 seats or at least the majority, under its own banner.
Yet despite these calls to go solo, there is a growing belief among them that Hajiji’s cooperation with PH is being quietly treated as a done deal.
Pandikar appeared uncertain on the state of play.
“The GRS Supreme Council has yet to meet on this,” he said when asked whether the PH alliance had been formally discussed.
A senior figure in Sabah STAR’s leadership, speaking on condition of anonymity, also confirmed that no decision had been reached.
“Most of us disagree with working with a national bloc,” the source said.
SAPP president Datuk Seri Yong Teck Lee reiterated his party’s long-held position:
“At the few discussions among GRS presidents, we only had general talks on how to share seats.
"Nobody proposed any collaboration with BN. As for PH, it’s just public statements in different tunes and confusing combinations.
“SAPP’s position is clear and that is GRS must contest all 73 seats,” he said.
That sentiment was on full display at the joint PBS-STAR convention in Penampang, where delegates chanted “solo” during speeches and the closing session.
This was a clear rebuke of federal alliances and a show of support for local political autonomy.
GRS currently comprises Gagasan Rakyat, STAR, PBS, SAPP, USNO, the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Sabah People’s Hope Party (PHRS), and Parti Cinta Sabah.
All of these came amid seat allocations within the GRS coalition itself remain unresolved.
The pivot toward PH comes after GRS’s fallout with Barisan Nasional in early 2023, when Sabah UMNO, led by Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin, withdrew support for Hajiji’s leadership, effectively ending the state’s BN-GRS cooperation.
PH meanwhile has taken a more measured public tone.
Sabah PKR chief Datuk Mustapha Sakmud recently expressed openness to cooperating with GRS but emphasised that any alliance must be substantive and equitable.
“If we want to cooperate, it must be a true partnership,” he said, calling for a fair distribution of seats and alignment on policy.
Mustapha’s remarks suggest PH will not accept a symbolic role and the terms must be negotiated, not dictated.
PKR is said to be eyeing 13 seats, though the overall number of seats sought by its fellow Pakatan Harapan partners — DAP, UPKO, and Amanah — has not been officially confirmed.
However, a rough estimate suggests PH as a whole is targeting between 28 and 30 seats in the forthcoming state election. This raises the additional question of how many overlapping claims exist between PH and GRS, which both sides will need to resolve to establish a workable electoral pact.
GRS, meanwhile, is reportedly eyeing around 54 seats.
Despite these divisions, Hajiji appears determined to move forward.
At a recent press conference, he again signalled readiness to work with PH, framing it as being “for the good of Sabah.” He offered no further details.
That tone has rattled some within the coalition.
“He’s speaking as if the decision is final, when it hasn’t even been tabled,” one GRS insider said.
Hajiji under pressure?
Several political observers, speaking off the record, believe Hajiji may be under pressure to formalise cooperation with PH due to threats of an ongoing mining-linked corruption scandal that is undermining GRS political strength.
The scandal, which involves allegations surrounding mineral prospecting licences, has placed strain on his administration and raised speculation that alignment with PH could help contain the political damage or provide a more stable legal and political footing ahead of the polls.
Such a move, however, could deepen tensions with GRS leaders who believe the state should be led by a Sabah-based political coalition, not one beholden to federal alignments.
GRS secretary-general Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun, who is a key figure in coalition negotiations and internal coordination, did not respond to requests for comment on whether a meeting had been held or scheduled to resolve the issue.
Yet, the three-day party annual general meeting, starting Friday (today), would push the issue in the spotlight. - July 25, 2025
