KOTA KINABALU, Aug 30 — Sabah PKR has dismissed calls for national parties to stay out of the upcoming state elections or contest under the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) logo, calling them “personal opinions” and not reflective of the party’s stance.

Sabah PKR’s information chief Razeef Rakimin said that these suggestions were not official positions of GRS and that they did not warrant a formal response.

“As far as we are concerned, it is not the stand of GRS. We feel GRS will be wise and make a suitable choice for themselves,” Razeef said.

He was responding to a statement from GRS component party leader Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia, who said that GRS should contest all 73 and asked for national parties to sit out the next elections.

Razeef said, “We feel this statement is inappropriate. It may be national-based, but Sabah PKR was set up along with the national party in April 1999.”

“We have been here, and we are all Sabahans with Sabah’s interest in mind,” he added.

On Datuk Jeffrey Kitingan’s proposal for parties working with GRS to contest under the same GRS logo, Razeef said that PKR Sabah was also not thinking about that as yet.

“Any decision regarding contesting will be discussed and announced after the State Assembly dissolution.

“It will also depend on our partners, and who has the best offer,” he said.

Despite the proposals, Razeef said that PKR Sabah currently enjoys good relations with both GRS and BN.

“We work very well at the state level and nationally in the unity government with BN. We have no issues with BN leaders although I don’t know if they feel the same,” he said.

GRS and PH form the state government since January of 2023 after BN’s Umno leaders withdrew support for chief minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor.

Meanwhile, Razeef told reporters here that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will chair the next Malaysia Agreement 1963 meeting in Sabah in October this September 12. He will come back later for Malaysia Day on September 16.

He is also scheduled to come in October for a road trip (jelajah) around the east coast of Sabah.

https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2024/08/30/proposal-for-national-parties-to-sit-out-of-sabah-polls-and-use-grs-logo-are-personal-opinions-says-state-pkr-info-chief/148678