Kota Kinabalu: Sabah’s ruling Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) coalition is like Sarawak’s Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) following the decision by Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) Sabah elected representatives to quit the Tan Sri Muhyddin Yassin-led Parti Perikatan en masse.
Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) President Datuk Joseph Salang Gandum said his party, which is a GPS component, is glad that Sabah Bersatu finally made the move.
“GRS is now very much like GPS. With similar aspirations, the two groupings are now closer to realising the dream to forge a stronger and more effective Borneo Bloc,” he said in a statement.
Sabah Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) Chapter chief Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor (right) on Friday announced their unanimous decision to leave the peninsula-based PN.
Hajiji, who is also Sabah Chief Minister said the decision was made after taking into the current political situation in the country.
It was also in the interest of Sabah and for the sake of unity as well as to fulfil the wish and aspiration of the people to fight and struggle under a local party.
With the decision, Hajiji said the GRS would be the vehicle to voice out Sabah’s interests and that of the Borneo territories in Malaysia.
He also reiterated Sabah’s commitment together with Sarawak as the Borneo Bloc to voice out the people’s aspiration and see that the Malaysia Agreement or MA63 would be fully implemented.
Prior to Friday’s decision, Bersatu was a member of PN and in the opposition at the federal level. However, its Sabah chapter is a component of GRS, which has pledged its support for Prime Minister under the Unity Government, datuk seri Anwar Ibrahim.
With GRS support Anwar now commands absolute majority support for his Pakatan Harapan alliance in parliament, which is necessary for the passage of Bills and amending the Constitution.
In return for the support, Anwar assured Hajiji that his seven Pakatan Sabah Assembly members would ensure that the State Government would not be challenged, so that Hajiji’s Sabah Maju Jaya programme would continue to be implemented.
