Support for Hajiji’s new party questionable, says Kiandee

KOTA KINABALU – The people’s support for Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah (Gagasan Rakyat) now led by Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor is still questionable and will only be known in the next election, said the Sabah Bersatu chief.

Datuk Seri Ronald Kiandee, who is also Bersatu vice-president, said only an election will tell if Gagasan Rakyat will be the people’s choice. 

“Just like Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS); how many seats (did they contest) and how many seats (did) they win (in the 15th general election)? GRS even lost Tuaran (to Pakatan Harapan), the chief minister’s constituency,” Kiandee said when contacted today.  

GRS is the state government coalition, while Gagasan Rakyat is the party Hajiji took over on Saturday.

With Hajiji as its new leader, the GRS state coalition now has five parties – Parti Bersatu Sabah, Sabah STAR, the Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP), United Sabah National Organisation, and Gagasan Rakyat.

Kiandee said other local Sabah parties also claimed to have the people’s support, but when compared to Sabah Bersatu, these parties were not a major force in national politics. Sabah Bersatu however is part of Perikatan Nasional (PN) which also includes SAPP and PAS.

“Sabah voters observe what’s happening in Peninsular Malaysia and also support national parties,” the Beluran MP said, referring to PN’s strong showing in last November’s federal polls.

Kiandee also denied that Bersatu had collapsed in Sabah after Hajiji led a mass exodus from the party last month.  

Now that Hajiji has taken over Gagasan Rakyat, Kiandee said there would not be another round of resignations from the Bersatu. He said the Bersatu grassroots at the branch levels are still intact.  

“I don’t discount some moving but most have remained with us,” he said.  

Kiandee said Sabah Bersatu is now in the process of appointing acting division chiefs to replace leaders who had left the party.  

The party will be holding its annual branch meetings from July 1 to August 31, while division meetings will be held on October 7, and the party’s congress in November.  

“With the annual meetings our branches and divisions will be restructured,” he explained. – The Vibes, January 30, 2023