TONGOD: Any formal cooperation involving Barisan Nasional (BN), Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS), and Pakatan Harapan (PH) in the 17th State Election is unlikely, said Gagasan Rakyat Vice President Datuk Masiung Banah (pic).
He said such a three-way understanding may confuse voters, adding that GRS and PH had already agreed to continue their existing political collaboration.
Responding to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s suggestion on Sunday, Masiung said Gagasan Rakyat, a main pillar of GRS, would prefer to maintain its current alliances.
window.googletag = window.googletag || {cmd: []};googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.defineSlot('/22826383987/dailyexpress_inline', [1, 1], 'gpt-passback').addService(googletag.pubads());googletag.enableServices();googletag.display('gpt-passback');});Anwar, during a meeting with Sabah PKR leaders in Kota Kinabalu, had expressed hope to avoid three-cornered fights through negotiations between GRS, BN, and PH.
Masiung stated that GRS had lost trust in BN following the ‘Kinabalu Move’ episode, which he said involved betrayal and subsequent attacks against the coalition.
He said GRS and PH have established a working relationship through the State Government’s administration and do not intend to complicate matters with a new arrangement.
Masiung urged Anwar to respect their position and honour his earlier commitment for Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor, also GRS chairman, to lead seat negotiations among allied parties.