KOTA KINABALU – The official launch of Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah (Gagasan Rakyat) today will not only establish a political front for former Sabah Bersatu leaders, but will also confirm another state being in support of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Led by Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor, Gagasan Rakyat, with around 100,000 members statewide and 14 assemblymen at present, could see further growth as more elected state lawmakers look to jump over from their present parties.
The party’s launch today will showcase Hajiji at his strongest point since he and other Bersatu state lawmakers quit the Perikatan Nasional (PN) linchpin in December.
Political analyst Lee Kuok Tiung said he believes Gagasan Rakyat has all what it takes to be the strongest multi-ethnic local party in Sabah, at least until the state’s next election.
“We still need to see the party’s abilities when the state election is called,” Lee told The Vibes.
How Hajiji’s party will fare at the ballot box is indeed a separate matter, seeing how his current strength and that of the Sabah government are the result of political manoeuvring. Anwar even praised Hajiji for his masterful “silat” skills in bringing stability back to Sabah after a tumultuous two years since its state election in 2020.
“Hajiji, in his gentleness…his political kicks and silat were very good. In a short time, he was able to stabilise the state government,” Anwar said during an official visit to Sabah two days ago.
Formerly called Parti Gagasan Bersama Rakyat Sabah – or simply Bersama – when it was registered in August 2013 with the Registrar of Societies, the party only became active in 2016.
In 2020, the party, by then known as Gagasan Rakyat, was one of several parties that tried to form a coalition with the name Gagasan.
It was to be headed by former Umno politician and ex-foreign minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman. However, Anifah instead formed Parti Cinta Sabah to contest in the snap state election held on September 26, 2020.
Unstoppable force?
While the coalition plan failed, it did not stop Gagasan Rakyat from making its debut in the 2020 Sabah polls and contesting 39 seats, although it did not win any.
When PN’s fortunes changed after it did not win enough parliamentary seats to form the federal government after the November general election, Gagasan Rakyat was a ready vehicle for Hajiji and former Bersatu leaders to take over.
He announced his leadership of the party on January 29. By that time, a political crisis had started, after Umno-Barisan Nasional withdrew its cooperation with the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) coalition of parties in the state government.
Umno blamed Hajiji and others for leaving Bersatu as the start of the crisis, saying that by doing so, he lost his locus standi to be chief minister.
But any plans Umno had to take over the state government did not happen when five of its Sabah assemblymen went against the state Umno leadership and opted to continue supporting Hajiji and GRS.
In Gagasan Rakyat today, Hajiji, its president, has, in its leadership lineup, Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun as deputy president, and Datuk Ariffin Mohd Arif, Datuk Rubin Balang and Datuk Masiung Banah as vice-presidents.
The party’s former president Stephen Jimbangan is Gagasan Rakyat’s deputy secretary.
The 14 assemblymen in the party are Hajiji (Sulaman), Masidi (Karanaan), Datuk Isnin Aliasnih (Klias), Datuk Fairuz Renddan (Pintasan), Datuk Ghulam Haidar Khan Bahadar (Kawang), Datuk Mohd Arifin Mohd Arif (Membakut), Datuk Rubin Balang (Kemabong), Samad Jambri (Labuk), Datuk Nizam Abu Bakar Titingan (Apas), Datuk Hassan A. Gani Amir (Sebatik), Datuk Ruddy Awah (Pitas), Abdul Ghani Mohamed Yassin (Nabawan), Datuk Amisah Yassin (nominated), and Datuk Jaafari Walliam (nominated).
The group also had four MPs namely, Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali (Papar), Khairul Firdaus Akbar Khan (Batu Sapi), Datuk Matbali Musah (Sipitang), and Datuk Jonathan Yasin (Ranau).
However, the MPs are direct GRS coalition members, as they are not able to switch parties due to the anti-party hopping law in effect for federal lawmakers.
Nonetheless, the numbers of assemblymen joining the party are expected to grow.
Eight more former Sabah Umno and Warisan leaders have already expressed their intention to join Gagasan Rakyat.
Those from Umno are Datuk Yusof Yacob (Sindumin), Datuk James Ratib (Sugut), Datuk Jasni Daya (Pantai Dalit) and Mohd Arsad Bistari (Tampasuk).
The Warisan representatives were Mohammad Mohamarin (Banggi), Ben Chong (Tg Kapor), Norazlinah Arif (Kunak) and Datuk Ahmad Awang Sah Awang Sahari (Petagas).
Yusof, when contacted, excluded Datuk Hamild @ Hamid Awang (Balung) but made no explanation why, adding that for now, they are waiting for their memberships to be approved.
“All eight of us have declared joining Gagasan Rakyat in hope to strengthen the government. Now it is up to the party to do the due process (accepting us as members).
“So we will wait for the president (Hajiji) to announce tomorrow,” said Yusof.
Yusof also noted that Umno man Datuk Shahelmey Yahya, who is now deputy chief minister and Sabah works minister, has not determined whether to be part of the move.
Whatever the final number, it will be – including state lawmakers from other parties in the GRS coalition – more than what Hajiji has now and put him well on his way to garnering the support of more than two-thirds of Sabah’s assemblymen, sealing his position as chief minister. – The Vibes, March 2, 2023
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