BN withdraws from GRS talks over disputed seat allocation

BARISAN Nasional (BN) pulled out of seat negotiations with Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) ahead of the 17th Sabah state election (PRN17) after being offered only eight seats, despite holding 14 constituencies, UMNO Sabah treasurer Datuk Seri Salleh Said Keruak revealed today.

“The negotiations with GRS became problematic when BN was only offered eight seats, even though we have 14 incumbent seats from the last state election,” said Salleh in a statement.

He further disclosed that a senior leader from a GRS component party had allegedly remarked that “even eight seats are too much for BN,” which he described as “deeply hurtful” and dismissive of BN’s contributions in Sabah.

“The statement clearly shows a lack of respect towards BN and denies the strength we bring to the table in the state,” said Salleh, who is also the assemblyman for Usukan and a former Sabah Chief Minister.

BN’s 14 incumbent seats from the 2020 state election include Pantai Manis, Tanjung Keramat, Karambunai, Pantai Dalit, Usukan, Tempasuk, Bengkoka, Lamag, Sukau, Sugut, Sungai Sibuga, Sungai Manila, Balung, and Tanjung Batu.

Last night, Deputy Prime Minister and BN chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi officially announced that BN and UMNO Sabah would not be collaborating with GRS for the upcoming election, opting instead to align with Pakatan Harapan (PH).

Salleh noted that negotiations with PH have progressed smoothly, guided by principles such as the 'incumbency rule' — where a party retains seats it won in the previous election — and the 'swap rule' to resolve overlapping claims through mutual agreement.

“With PH, talks have proceeded respectfully and constructively. Where overlaps exist, they are resolved through agreed swaps. This has brought us close to a full agreement, signalling strong cooperation in the spirit of the Unity Government,” he said.

He stressed that BN could not accept proposals that were clearly disadvantageous or unjust, affirming that the party’s stance was in line with Zahid’s declaration that BN would not compromise on fundamental principles during negotiations.

“BN has always remained open to discussions with any party, provided it is done in a spirit of consensus and with Sabah’s best interests as the top priority,” Salleh said.

BN’s Split from GRS Driven by Principle, Not Just Tactics

Meanwhile, BN’s decision not to cooperate with GRS in the upcoming 17th Sabah state election (PRN17) is not merely a strategic manoeuvre, but one rooted in the principle of political integrity, said UMNO Supreme Council member Datuk Dr Mohd Puad Zarkashi.

In a statement posted to Facebook on Friday, Mohd Puad accused GRS of being born from a “cycle of political betrayal,” alleging that many of its members were originally from UMNO, before defecting to Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) and eventually leaving Bersatu to form GRS.

“GRS was formed through betrayal. They started in UMNO, then jumped to Bersatu, and later left Bersatu to form GRS. So where is their honesty?” he said.

He added that it would be difficult to avoid political backstabbing if UMNO were to collaborate with GRS, especially with four state seats previously won by UMNO now held by GRS assemblymen.

“There’s little chance GRS would be willing to return those four seats to UMNO,” he said, referring to lawmakers who had switched allegiance following the previous state election.

UMNO Sabah recently confirmed that it would not join forces with GRS in PRN17. The decision was announced by UMNO President and BN Chairman, Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, following a series of negotiations involving BN, GRS, and Pakatan Harapan (PH). Zahid said the decision was made after thoroughly evaluating the outcomes of those discussions.

Mohd Puad added that UMNO has a strong track record in Sabah and does not need to rely on GRS to gain voter trust.

“It's better to avoid seat clashes and contest on friendly terms. Forming the government can be discussed later,” he said. - Sept 5, 2025