Kota Kinabalu: Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor shot down a proposal by President Datuk Seri Yong Teck Lee for the coming State election to be a State-based affair with no role for both peninsula-based government and opposition components.
He said the Sabah Government is a unity government led by Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) and Pakatan Harapan (PH) Sabah.
“Therefore, all components of this unity government including Barisan Nasional (BN), will be together in the next State Election (PRN),” he said.
“I want to state that in the next election, we are in a unity government, including PH in Sabah. So we cannot be separated from our friends PH and others, including BN.
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Yong, who is SAPP President, had proposed that peninsula-based parties sit out the next PRN and GRS to stand in all 73 state seats.
Hajiji, who is also GRS Chairman and Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah (Gagasan Rakyat) President, said those were Yong’s personal views.
“In GRS we have seven component parties and we have yet to discuss these matters because the next election is still a long way, there are still two years to go.
“Right now we focus on developing the State and assisting our people, to resolve the water supply problem, electricity supply problem and so on. These are our main focus and purpose right now.
“But I want to stress that the Sabah Government is led by GRS and also PH Sabah. We are very thankful to PH. So to me, this is an issue that we will need to discuss thoroughly,” he said.
Yong, who is GRS Deputy Chairman, was criticised by both GRS components as well as PN.
Sabah Umno head Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin noted that Yong supports GRS at State level which is with the Federal Unity Government, but sits with Perikatan Nasional at federal level which is against the Federal Government.
He said Sabah Progressive Party seemed to have lost its political direction and alluded to the fact that SAPP had lost in every election since 2008, with Yong himself losing his deposit in the last election.
He was made a Nominated State Assemblyman when GRS formed the State Government and head of the Lahad Datu POIC.
Sabah PN head Datuk Ronald Kiandee was also puzzled by Yong’s suggestion that Perikatan should stay out of the Sabah elections and has asked him to explain.
GRS comprises Gagasan Rakyat, Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS), Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (Star), SAPP, United Sabah National Organisation (Usno), Parti Harapan Rakyat Sabah (PHRS) and Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).
Hajiji also said the State Government wants the Federal Government to give focus on developing education in Sabah and the State Government will assist because it is for the benefit of Sabahans especially the young so that they will excel in education.
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