SABAH Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor is keeping his cards close to his chest as his party, Gagasan Rakyat, begins a key meeting that could shape its course ahead of the state election.
Gagasan, a principal component of the eight-party Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) alliance, is holding its three-day annual general meeting from Friday to Sunday.
Key GRS partners are closely monitoring developments to see whether Gagasan will push to contest the state election independently or formalise an alliance with the national coalition, Pakatan Harapan (PH).
A state election can be called at any time, with the Sabah State Legislative Assembly set for automatic dissolution on November 11.
Asked about the party’s position on critical decisions ahead of the polls, Hajiji offered only a brief reply: “Just wait for my speech on Sunday.”
His response offered little clarity to GRS allies who are still waiting for confirmation on whether Hajiji plans to lead the coalition solo or pursue a formal tie-up with PH.
The three-day convention is widely expected to set the tone for GRS’s electoral strategy in the coming months.
It also serves as an opportunity for party members to raise calls concerning candidacy, campaign direction, and the coalition’s future, with the potential PH pact likely to be a major talking point.
Tensions have simmered within GRS for months over Hajiji’s apparent leanings towards PH.
Although the chief minister has publicly expressed support for the alliance, several leaders insist the issue has never been formally deliberated or endorsed by the GRS Supreme Council.
Usno president Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia, who in May received Hajiji’s assurance that all GRS component presidents would be consulted before any decision, confirmed this week that the matter remains unresolved.
“The GRS Supreme Council has yet to meet on this,” Pandikar said.
Calls for GRS to go it alone have been mounting, particularly among local parties advocating for Sabah’s political autonomy.
That sentiment was on full display at last week’s joint PBS-STAR convention in Penampang, where party delegates chanted “solo” during speeches, which is a clear call for GRS to contest independently.
GRS currently comprises Gagasan Rakyat, STAR, PBS, SAPP, USNO, LDP, PHRS, and Parti Cinta Sabah. – July 25, 2025
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