KOTA KINABALU: Sabah STAR president Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan stayed coy over the possibility of the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) forging an electoral pact with Sabah Pakatan Harapan in the next state election.

"Nothing has been finalised yet," Kitingan said when asked about GRS chairman Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor's preference for a GRS-Sabah Pakatan electoral pact formula in the coming state polls.

Speaking to reporters after launching the Ikan Rakyat programme at Padang Merdeka, the Deputy Chief Minister I said that currently GRS is working with Sabah Pakatan in administering the state government led by Hajiji, the Chief Minister.

In Kota Belud on Sunday (Sept 1), Hajiji expressed his confidence that the GRS-Pakatan Harapan Plus collaboration would be a winning formula in the election, as it was well accepted by the people and appropriate under the current political situation.

Kitingan said that Sabah STAR, as a member of the GRS coalition, is currently working with Sabah Pakatan, and therefore there was nothing wrong with Hajiji’s statement about the possible cooperation.

Kitingan did not elaborate further on the potential GRS electoral pact with Sabah Pakatan in the state election due anytime by Sept next year.

Sabah STAR, together with the Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) led by Datuk Seri Yong Teck Lee and Usno led by Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia, has been pushing for the eight-party GRS to go it alone in the coming election.

Hajiji, the president of the dominant Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah (Gagasan Rakyat), has been posturing for GRS to work with Sabah Pakatan in the election.

Other GRS coalition partners - Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS), Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Parti Harapan Rakyat Sabah (Harapan Rakyat), and Parti Cinta Sabah (PCS) - have not made their stand public on the possibility of an electoral pact with Pakatan.

Kitingan, who was seen softening his stand on a GRS pact with Pakatan, offered the national coalition to contest under the GRS ticket. But, state Pakatan leaders distanced themselves from the discussion.

Sabah Pakatan, with six assemblymen, came to the rescue of Hajiji's government when Sabah Barisan led by Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin pulled its support in January 2023.

The support from Sabah Pakatan and renegade Sabah Umno and defecting Warisan assemblymen helped Hajiji survive the coup. GRS currently holds more than a two-thirds majority in the 79-member Sabah assembly.

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2024/09/02/kitingan-mum-on-possible-grs-pakatan-election-alliance