KOTA KINABALU – Sabah Umno remains silent over the proposed registration of Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) as pressure heightens from Sabah Bersatu to make the political alliance official.
Sabah Umno deputy chief Datuk Yakub Khan today refused to comment over the call from state Bersatu leader Khairul Firdaus Khan to formalise the alliance of component parties as a single entity.
Khairul said that such a move would make leaders in Peninsular Malaysia take Sabah’s calls more seriously.
GRS’ components include political coalitions Barisan Nasional, which includes Umno, and Perikatan Nasional, which includes Bersatu.
“Any of the decisions made (by Sabah Umno) will be brought to the GRS meeting,” he told reporters when asked about the matter today.
“I don’t want to say anything negative or positive before this matter is brought to the GRS discussion,” he added.
Khairul had yesterday issued a statement to local media outlets that a formal political entity would see the federal government take heed of Sabah’s leaders and ensure the removal of stumbling blocks preventing Sabah from being developed.
However, talk of making GRS official has come under fire as Sabah Umno chief Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin made it clear that the chapter will follow in the steps of the central party leadership if it goes against PN in the 15th general election.
PN is chaired by Bersatu president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
Bung Moktar noted that Sabah Umno’s autonomy is only for the state election, not parliamentary elections.
He had also expressed reservation over the call to officially register GRS, saying that he was not able to catch up with some of the views expressed by a fellow Umno leader on the move.
The registration of GRS was mooted by Umno man Datuk Seri Salleh Said Keruak, who is a former Sabah chief minister, last year.
Sabah Bersatu chief Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor, the current chief minister, has also been reported as saying a meeting to register GRS would be held soon to find a consensus among the components.
The parties in GRS comprise PN (Bersatu, STAR, SAPP, Gerakan), BN (Umno, PBRS, MCA and MIC), Parti Bersatu Sabah, and PAS.
The other parties so far have remained silent over the matter as all but PBS appears to be supportive of the registration.
A cooperation pact signed by GRS components in January last year is also making the political landscape in Sabah more complex. – The Vibes, January 16, 2022
