GABUNGAN Rakyat Sabah (GRS) and Pakatan Harapan (PH) have set reasonable expectations in seat-sharing negotiations ahead of the 17th State Election (PRN-17), said GRS secretary-general Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun.
He said that seat-sharing negotiations between GRS and PH have begun and are proceeding on a positive note.
“So far, the negotiations have been very good. I hope the results can be announced before nomination day,” he told the media after officiating the 3rd Borneo Vascular Conference at the Hilton Hotel in Kota Kinabalu today.
He said discussions between both sides have been constructive and focused on ensuring victory rather than the allocation of seats, adding that what PH does with Barisan Nasional (BN) at the federal level is their own arrangement and does not affect GRS.
On the possibility of a clash between the two coalitions, Masidi is optimistic that it can be avoided.
“I don't think it will happen. In the negotiations, both parties shared the same view that in the end, what matters is victory, not who gets which seat.
“The moral of it is to ensure that we get the maximum number of votes from both PH and GRS.
“Of course, numbers are also important as far as Sabah as is concerned, because it shows that PH values GRS as much as GRS values PH as a partner,” he said.
There are now six component parties in GRS - Gagasan Rakyat, Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS), United Sabah National Organisation (Usno), Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Parti Harapan Rakyat Sabah (PHRS) and Parti Cinta Sabah (PCS).
Though Star and Sapp left GRS, five Star assemblymen have pledged their support for GRS – Datuk Ellron Angin (Sook), Datuk Robert Tawik (Bingkor), Datuk Abidin Madingkir (Paginatan), Datuk Annuar Ayub (Liawan) and Datuk Flovia Ng (Tulid). – October 11, 2025
