THE Bersatu leadership will reconstruct the party’s Sabah chapter and once again become prominent, the pact’s deputy president Ahmad Faizal Azumu said today. 

He expressed regret that Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) announced their split from Bersatu today to better serve the state under Anwar Ibrahim’s unity government.

In a statement, Faizal said the party’s top brass will immediately reconstruct the party. He also expressed confidence in the people’s acceptance of Bersatu. 

“Bersatu will remain in Sabah and will rise from this situation,” he said. 

“I pray that Sabah will continue to prosper and I am proud of Bersatu members who are still loyal to the party,” said Faizal, better known as Peja. 

This morning, GRS chairman and Sabah Bersatu chief Hajiji Mohd Noor said leaders in the Sabah coalition had unanimously decided to quit Bersatu after considering the political landscape, especially that of Sabah.

He said GRS and Barisan Nasional (BN) have taken the advice of the Agong to form a unity government led by Anwar, towards political stability and economic recovery. 

GRS secretary-general Masidi Manjun said the split from Bersatu was for the sake of the state and country. 

He said this was due to the increasingly racial and religious rhetoric of some peninsula-based parties in the run-up to the general election, which he said is inconsistent with the values of multiracial, multi-religious Sabah and Sarawak. 

However, Faizal reminded GRS to beware of Anwar, whom he said frequently breaks promises.

“The prime minister is someone who always breaks his promises. I am sure there will come a time when the leadership in Sabah knows who Anwar is,” he added. 

GRS was registered in March and consisted of Sabah Bersatu, Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku, Parti Bersatu Sabah, Sabah Progressive Party, and United Sabah National Organisation (New), for it to form a joint state government with Umno/BN. 

Following the general election, GRS decided to support Anwar to form the federal government. – December 10, 2022.