GABUNGAN Rakyat Sabah (GRS) wants to be the leading political force in Sabah and be given priority in any electoral pact in the forthcoming Sabah election, said Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor.
He said local-based parties must stay at the forefront of Sabah politics, adding that the GRS-led state government — formed by homegrown parties — should be preserved and strengthened ahead of the 17th state election (PRN17).
“This election is very important to ensure the continuation of our government. Local parties must be dominant in Sabah politics. They must come first.
“Cooperation with others is a separate matter. What matters most is that GRS, as a local-based coalition, must be defended. That’s what the people want — a Sabah-led government,” he said.
Hajiji, who is also GRS Chairman, made the remarks when officiating the 2025 USNO National Congress at Kampung Rampayan Laut near on Sunday.
The political landscape in Sabah remains fluid as the state will hold an election this year.
GRS made no secret of its keenness to work with Pakatan Harapan (PH) even as PH has formally aligned with Barisan Nasional (BN) - a coalition GRS had a fallout with in 2023.
GRS and Sabah BN leaders are presently locked in a war of words with each other challenging each other to see who will win the most seats in the forthcoming election as a way to settle the old score.
After expressing his interest to work with PH late last year, Hajiji warned that the party was willing to go solo in the state election following the official announcement of the electoral cooperation between BN and PH last month.
He later said future cooperation would depend on the consensus of the GRS supreme council leaders which comprise the leaders of the eight-party alliance.
His decision to take a step back from his initial reaction came following his meeting with PH chairman Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim who had pitched a three-way electoral pact of GRS-PH-BN.
The Chief Minister made clear that GRS would not surrender its struggle to any party or figure with questionable intentions, adding that the coalition must be protected from those who might seek to undermine its freedom of association.
He urged all component parties — including USNO — to rally behind GRS, go to the ground, and explain to the public the coalition’s guiding philosophies: “Rumah Kita, Kita Jaga” and “Sabah First.”
“Our message is simple. If it’s our house, we take care of it. Don’t fight among ourselves — if we do, others will benefit while we lose.
“What’s important is that we win the election, continue our struggle, help the people, and develop the state,” he said. - June 15, 2025
