[UPDATED] GRS throws support behind Muhyiddin as PM

KOTA KINABALU – Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) has given its support to Perikatan Nasional (PN) leader Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to become the next prime minister. 

Its chairman Datuk Seri Hajiji Mohd Noor in stating the urgency to form a federal government said the alliance decided to support Muhyiddin today. 

“GRS has decided to support Muhyiddin as the 10th prime minister and agrees to form the federal government with PN and others, namely, Sarawak’s Gabungan Parti Sarawak, and other parties who want to form cooperation,” he said in a statement.

“GRS remains committed to bringing about unity for the people and country.

He said that the coalition, which presently rules Sabah, made the decision after his meeting with Muhyiddin. He said GRS is of the view that the formation of the federal government needs to be done as soon as possible.

Hajiji, who is presently the Sabah chief minister, said a fully functional federal government is needed to finalise the amendments to Budget 2023.

GRS won six seats in the general election held on Saturday, namely Sipitang, Papar, Batu Sapi, Keningau Ranau and Tawau.

It also has a pact with Barisan Nasional (BN), which won seven seats in Sabah – Kinabatangan, Pensiangan, Kimanis, Beaufort, Libaran, Kalabakan and Putatan. PN won only one parliamentary seat – Beluran – in Sabah.

Both GRS and BN are partners in the state government.

However, it could not be ascertained at this point of time whether BN will withdraw from the GRS-BN pact.

Sabah BN chairman Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin was seen along with the 25 other BN MPs, including party president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who is also the Barisan Nasional chairman, at the Seri Pacific Hotel in Kuala Lumpur, where they are meeting with Pakatan Harapan (PH) leaders today. – The Vibes, November 21, 2022