GRS leader calls for focus on economy after alleged Putrajaya coup fails to materialise

GABUNGAN Rakyat Sabah (GRS) today maintained its support for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, with the coalition’s secretary-general Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun advising groups allegedly trying to usurp federal government power to rethink their priorities.

In response to Anwar commenting on “tebuk atap” (backdoor entry) attempts to bring down the Unity Government on Saturday, the Sabah state finance minister advised the concerned parties to set aside trivial matters and start focusing on efforts to hasten the country’s economic growth.

“For GRS, our focus now is on economic recovery. This is very, very important as Malaysians at large are seriously affected by the present unpredictable economy.

"So, I ask that we set aside all these petty political matters for now and focus on uniting all efforts for economic recovery.

“When the economy has recovered, we can discuss other more important issues such as unity," said Masidi.

He said this when met at the Sabah Star-Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) joint Christmas open house held in Penampang today.

Masidi said GRS has always maintained its stand in supporting the Unity Government led by Anwar as the government views all component parties as equally important.

He said GRS feels that it is regarded as an important component in the federal administration based on Anwar’s remarks on the matter.

“We are thankful for this recognition and as we have stated much earlier that we fully support Anwar to continue to as prime minister until this government terms end,” he said.

Masidi said the world views Malaysia as a great developing nation, but the country’s stability has often been disrupted by disunity.

For instance, racial and religious squabbles are now making a return, said Masidi, adding that these issues are problematic, requiring time and serious effort to resolve.

“We constantly talk on unity but, honestly, I wish our friends (in the peninsula) should learn from Sabah.

“In Sabah, we may have political differences, but we are grateful. The people are united on important matters like these,” he said.

At a dialogue session with senior editors in Putrajaya on Saturday, Anwar had stressed that the ruling parties in Sabah and Sarawak, respectively GRS and Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GRS), and other components contributing to the Unity Government are solidly behind his administration.

Anwar had also said that GPS leader Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg, who is the premier of Sarawak, told him the day before that there had been attempts to entice him to swing to the other side.

Johari met Anwar at Seri Perdana in Putrajaya on Friday. He gave an assurance that GPS will not entertain any move to replace the current federal government.

Anwar stressed that any attempt to change the government would not be possible without support from Sabah and Sarawak.

There had been claims circulating on social media that the present government would collapse and that an official announcement on this would be made soon.

The Unity Government is now supported by 151 MPs in the 222-seat Dewan Rakyat, giving it a comfortable two-thirds majority in Parliament. – The Vibes, December 25, 2023