Kota Kinabalu: Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) has confirmed that Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (Star) and Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) are no longer part of the coalition after both decided to contest under their own symbols in the coming state election.
GRS secretary-general Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun said the decision followed a presidential council meeting chaired by Chief Minister and GRS chairman Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor on Wednesday night.
He said Star president Datuk Seri Jeffrey Kitingan and SAPP president Datuk Seri Yong Teck Lee informed the meeting that they preferred to go solo rather than follow the coalition’s agreement with Pakatan Harapan (PH) on seat allocation.
“This means Star and SAPP will likely field candidates in constituencies also contested by PH,” Masidi said in a statement on Thursday.
He said Hajiji reminded component parties that unity required all candidates to contest under the GRS symbol, as agreed in the coalition’s partnership with PH.
Masidi said after nearly two hours of open discussion, the meeting resolved that any party choosing to contest under its own banner was deemed to have left GRS.
He added that Hajiji, as president of Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah, along with the leaders of PBS, Usno, LDP, PHRS and PCS, respected the decision of Star and SAPP to strike out on their own.
“With this, the membership of Star and SAPP in GRS has ended,” Masidi said.
He said both Jeffrey and Yong told the council they respected the position of other parties that wished to remain in GRS and continue the electoral cooperation with PH.
Masidi said the meeting ended in good spirit, with leaders agreeing to move forward while maintaining mutual respect despite differing strategies.