Kota Kinabalu: Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) wants to strengthen the coalition ahead of the next general election and secure more parliamentary seats to ensure a stronger Sabah voice at the Federal level.
GRS secretary-general Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali said the formal entry of Upko had further strengthened the coalition as a platform for Sabah-based political parties, with GRS now having seven MPs.
He said simulations based on the last state election indicated GRS could win about 14 to 15 parliamentary seats, excluding the impact of Upko's entry, but the coalition wanted to secure more than that.
Armizan said GRS’ immediate priority was to strengthen the coalition, retain support in areas it had won and increase support in other constituencies with potential, while candidate selection would take into account the people’s message from the last state election and the need for political stability.
He said the 2026 GRS Convention would be held in Kudat on Oct 18, while the coalition was also discussing preliminary views from its component parties for the 2027 Sabah Budget, with greater State revenue expected to provide additional fiscal space subject to spending priorities and good governance.
