GABUNGAN Rakyat Sabah (GRS) is signalling its readiness to contest the upcoming state election on its own as talks of alliances and rivalry become much clearer for the ruling state alliance.
GRS information chief Datuk Joniston Bangkuai predicted the possibility of a “free-for-all” Sabah election due to the growing uncertainty surrounding seat negotiations among political blocs in the state.
Bangkuai said going solo was a serious option already floated by GRS chairman and Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor, especially after Barisan Nasional (BN) and Pakatan Harapan (PH) signed a pre-election pact widely seen as sidelining GRS.
“The situation has changed. The recent BN-PH declaration shows they are ready to work without GRS, so we too must be ready to face any possibility — including going it alone,” he said during a meet-the-people session at a local village near Kota Kinabalu.
The Kiulu assemblyman said this can be a “blessing in disguise” — giving Sabahans a clearer choice between local-based parties like GRS and those led from Peninsular Malaysia while not dismissing the challenges GRS may face going solo.
“This could become a referendum. Do Sabahans want leaders rooted in Sabah, or those who report to headquarters in Kuala Lumpur?” he said.
Bangkuai, who is also information chief for Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS), said the coalition’s record in government had shown that local parties could govern effectively while maintaining constructive ties with the federal government.
He pointed to the increase in Sabah’s federal special grant from RM53 million during the Warisan administration to RM600 million under GRS.
He also noted the landmark Commercial Collaboration Agreement (CCA) with Petronas that has helped boost state revenue.
“Sabah’s annual revenue has reached RM6.9 billion, with state reserves close to RM8 billion. That didn’t happen by accident — it’s the result of good planning, mature governance, and respectful federal-state cooperation,” he said.
Bangkuai insisted that GRS is not anti-federal, but believes Sabah’s future must be led by Sabahans.
“We’ve proven that we can work well with Putrajaya while putting Sabah’s interests first,” he said.
He also cautioned voters against returning to instability, recalling the failed attempt to unseat Hajiji in January 2023 — involving Umno-BN, Warisan, and KDM — as a moment of political opportunism that harmed the state.
“That episode wasn’t about leadership. It was about control. It was about self-interest.
“With state polls on the horizon, he urged Sabahans to prioritise steady leadership over “reckless power plays.”
“This election is our chance to move forward — not back into chaos,” he said. - May 21, 2025
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