GABUNGAN Rakyat Sabah (GRS) has dropped Bersatu as a coalition member, said Maximus Ongkili.

The GRS deputy chairman said the decision to dump the peninsular party was made at its Supreme Council meeting on December 9.

Maximus said the meeting had decided to retain Sabah chief minister Hajiji Noor as its chairman.

“The coalition decided to join the unity government on the commitment to build a stable government, to ensure the good of the people and the development of the country.” he said in a brief statement.

The statement comes after Perikatan Nasional (PN) lawmaker Ronald Kiandee disputed the right of Gabungan Rakyat Sabah to sign a Memorandum of Agreement (MOU) to support the government of Anwar Ibrahim.

The Bersatu Sabah chief said the party, a founding member of GRS, had never been involved in any discussions on the agreement, which was signed in Putrajaya last Friday.

The agreement was signed by former Sabah Bersatu chief Hajiji Noor, as chairman of GRS.

Kiandee questioned Hajiji’s position, as the chief minister was made GRS chairman in his capacity as Bersatu’s Sabah chief, and he no longer had legitimacy having announced last week he was leaving Bersatu.

Ongkili said Kiandee and Bersatu were not linked to the unity government MOU as Bersatu had rejected it.

Bersatu and GRS leaders have been at odds since December 10, after Hajiji and Bersatu leaders in GRS unanimously decided to quit the Muhyiddin-led party.

“This unanimous decision is in the interest of Sabah, for the unity and aspirations of the people for us to continue fighting under the auspices of a local party.”

“With this decision, we will use GRS to voice the interests of Sabah and the states of Borneo in Malaysia.”

“We believe this decision is the best for unity and political stability in Sabah,” Hajiji  said in a statement.

The GRS-BN bloc has 13 lawmakers in parliament with four lawmakers winning their parliamentary seats as Bersatu candidates.

However, following claims the four had violated anti-party hopping laws, the four said they had contested the polls as GRS candidates and had left the state chapter before the general election.

Bersatu chairman Muhyiddin Yassin subsequently said the matter will have to be referred to the courts for a decision. But to date, the party has yet to initiate any action on it.

The move will not affect the seats of lawmakers as the state has not approved any anti-party hopping law.

GRS initially combined with Perikatan Nasional, Barisan Nasional and Parti Bersatu Sabah to win the majority of seats in the 2020 state elections to form the government in Sabah. 

Upon registration, GRS consisted of four Sabah parties and Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (Star), United Sabah Party (PBS), Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP), Bersatu Sabah, and United Sabah National Organisation (Usno Baru). – December 18, 2022.