Latest news with #LangkahKinabalu
Daily Express
3 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Express
No reason for PBS to leave GRS: Veep
Published on: Wednesday, June 18, 2025 Published on: Wed, Jun 18, 2025 By: Iskandar Dzulkifli Text Size: Ruslan described the claims as mere speculation deliberately stirred by irresponsible parties to create division and weaken GRS' political strength. PAPAR: Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) Vice President Datuk Ruslan Muharam rejected speculation that PBS and Parti Solidariti Tanah Air Ku (Star) might leave Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) ahead of the coming state election. The Lumadan Assemblyman said there is no reason for such action, as PBS and Star would remain in the coalition following their long-standing agreement. Advertisement He described the claims as mere speculation deliberately stirred by irresponsible parties to create division and weaken GRS' political strength. 'Our understanding within GRS has been established for a long time, especially as we work together in the State Government administration, bringing various initiatives for the people that have made the opposition feel threatened. Therefore, these claims are just rumours as we approach the 17th state election and there are certainly attempts to weaken GRS' strength,' he said after officiating the Lumadan PBS Division Youth Leadership Camp on Saturday. Ruslan was responding to speculation about grassroots pressure for PBS and Star to leave GRS to ensure local party aspirations are realised following concerns that GRS' potential cooperation with Pakatan Harapan (PH) could affect seats both parties wish to contest. When asked whether GRS should go solo or cooperate with PH in the state election, Ruslan personally believes the current political scenario suggests GRS should contest alone. However, he acknowledged that cooperation with PH is also important to maintain Federal-State government relations for the people's benefit. He noted that PH prefers GRS, particularly Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Haji Noor, to continue leading the State Government rather than Umno, as demonstrated during the previous Langkah Kinabalu episode. 'Looking at the scenario, it would be good for us to contest solo, but cooperation between Federal and State governments is also very important and beneficial. 'We cannot just throw away PH after they supported us during the previous coup attempt, especially when PH and Umno cooperate at the Federal level. However, this is my personal opinion, and we leave it entirely to GRS leadership to make whatever decisions,' he said. For the record, PBS currently holds seven seats, namely Tandek, Matunggong, Tamparuli, Kiulu, Lumadan, Kundasang and Telupid, while Star holds six seats, namely Paginatan, Tambunan, Sook, Bingkor, Tulid and Liawan. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
Borneo Post
7 days ago
- Politics
- Borneo Post
GRS should challenge BN in Sabah polls, says Armizan
Armizan KOTA KINABALU (June 14): Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) deputy secretary-general Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali has called for the coalition to face off against Barisan Nasional (BN) in the upcoming state election. The Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister said a direct contest would allow voters to decide who should govern Sabah, aligning with Sabah BN chief Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin's preference for BN and Pakatan Harapan (PH) to compete without GRS. 'Everyone must respect Bung Moktar's stance. No one should dismiss his autonomy as Sabah Umno chief,' Armizan said in a statement on Saturday. 'A direct contest will end accusations that a party's victory was due to another's support rather than its own strength.' On June 2, Bung had ruled out pre-election cooperation with GRS, citing past tensions. However, Armizan clarified that his view was personal and not an official GRS position. He stressed that GRS remains open to collaboration with PH and other parties that form the state government, praising PH for rejecting the 'Langkah Kinabalu' move and backing Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor as Chief Minister. 'Today's government functions well under the current partnership, but grassroots GRS supporters want to compete against BN,' he said. Armizan added that being part of the federal Unity Government should not prevent state-level contests, noting that past elections in Sabah, Melaka and Johor saw similar clashes among federal allies. 'The Unity Government's MoU doesn't mandate state-level cooperation. State polls are about choosing a state government, not the federal administration,' he said.
Borneo Post
04-06-2025
- Business
- Borneo Post
Umno told to look in mirror before accusing others of betrayal
Nizam KOTA KINABALU (June 4): If one wishes to speak of dignity and betrayal, Umno should first take a hard look at its own history, said Datuk Nizam Abu Bakar Titingan. The Assistant Minister to the Sabah Chief Minister said that he read with interest the statement by the Umno Kota Kinabalu Division chief and Umno Women's Exco member, Musliati Moslimin, who claimed that Umno is not a 'political tool,' not a 'script filler,' and not a 'buyer of false promises.' 'Ironically, this statement comes from a party with a long history of scripting flawed political narratives, including in Sabah,' said Nizam, who is also Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) information chief. 'The reality is, during the 2020 Sabah state election (PRN), history clearly records who broke agreements and moral principles. Just two days before nomination day, Umno and Barisan Nasional had agreed to contest 27 seats. Yet, when the time came, they contested 41 seats — a move that not only violated mutual understanding but also created confusion and early fractures within the coalition,' he reminded. Nizam also said that Umno also still refuses to accept the fact that in a coalition of political parties, the party with the highest number of seats holds the priority to lead. 'The GRS coalition, which Musliati dismisses as 'splinter parties,' won the highest number of seats and thus rightfully held the prerogative to choose the Chief Minister of Sabah. This is not betrayal — it is the foundation of true democracy.' More surprising is that Musliati makes no mention of the 'Langkah Kinabalu' incident in January 2023, in which several Umno leaders, including Datuk Bung Moktar Radin, were involved in an attempt to topple the existing government, he said. He added that the actions of Bung Moktar and several Umno leaders not only threatened state stability but gambled with the people's mandate. 'Their removal from the Cabinet and positions in government agencies was the Chief Minister's prerogative, made in the interest of safeguarding the state's stability.' He said that Umno Sabah must also come to terms with the fact that they are no longer the 'big brother' of politics. 'Nationally, they continue to lose public support, and in Sabah, the people are tired of the same old script — just with different actors, but the same plot,' said Nizam. He also said that the GRS government today chooses to look forward, forging strategic cooperation with Pakatan Harapan to ensure post-GE15 stability and prepare for the upcoming Sabah state election. 'Ultimately, real power lies not in the hands of any individual, party, or propaganda — but in the hands of the people. Let the people of Sabah decide who is truly working for them, and who merely excels at political theatre.' Musliati has described the experience of working with GRS as a betrayal of the trust and sacrifices made by Umno-Barisan Nasional (BN) since the 2020 Sabah state election. In a statement issued on Tuesday, Musliati stressed that the state government formed after the 2020 polls was not the result of any one party's strength, but rather a coalition comprising several components, including Bersatu, PBS, STAR, and most importantly, Umno-BN. She asserted that Umno had not only contributed the highest number of seats to GRS at the time, but also provided vital election machinery, resources and grassroots support which formed the backbone of the coalition. 'Bersatu, at that time, was still in its infancy and relied heavily on the groundwork that Umno had established over the years. Yet silently, the hand extended in friendship was met with poison,' she said. Musliati also revealed that Umno had been sabotaged by independent candidates allegedly sponsored by certain quarters within GRS. Despite this, Umno still managed to secure 14 seats, more than Bersatu's 11. She went on to describe Umno's decision to give way to Datuk Seri Pangllima Hajiji Noor to become Chief Minister as a sacrifice made in the interest of state stability, even though Umno had a stronger claim to the post based on the number of seats won.
Daily Express
04-06-2025
- General
- Daily Express
Sabahans sure to reject Umno
Sabahans sure to reject Umno Kota Kinabalu: Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) Information Chief Datuk Joniston Bangkuai has fired back at Sabah Umno Chief Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin, calling his latest remarks arrogant and disconnected from Sabah's political reality. 'Bung is the last person who should talk about loyalty or sincerity. He tried to bring down the very government he was part of, just to serve his own ambition. That speaks volumes,' he said. Advertisement He dismissed Bung's claim that GRS had betrayed Barisan Nasional (BN), describing it as a clear attempt to twist the narrative and deflect from his own actions. 'It's Bung who conspired with Warisan and PKDM in January 2023 to topple the government led by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor. SPONSORED CONTENT 'He wasn't betrayed, he was the one doing the betraying. Even while sitting in the state Cabinet, he had no respect for his colleagues in the State government led by Hajiji as Chief Minister.' Joniston stressed that GRS has never been reliant on Umno and is fully prepared to face the upcoming state election independently. Advertisement He also pointed out that during the political crisis, several Umno assemblymen refused to support Bung's move and instead threw their backing behind Hajiji, alongside PH. 'If anyone needs to reflect, it's Bung. Why did even your own colleagues abandon your 'Langkah Kinabalu'? Why did PH support Hajiji, not you? The answer is obvious because the trust wasn't with you,' he said. Advertisement Joniston, who is also PBS information chief, reiterated that his party would never forget the insult hurled by Bung when he once labelled PBS as 'melukut di tepi gantang'. 'You showed no respect for PBS or your allies, and now you expect cooperation? Don't be surprised if Sabahans continue to reject Umno just like they did in other states across the Peninsula. 'Sabah isn't your political lifeline. Don't treat this state like your fallback plan,' he said, stressing that GRS is now focused on what matters - unity, stability, and delivering for the people.
New Straits Times
03-06-2025
- General
- New Straits Times
Bung the last person to talk about loyalty
KOTA KINABALU: Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) Information Chief Datuk Joniston Bangkuai has responded to Sabah Umno chief Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin's latest remarks, labelling them arrogant and disconnected from Sabah's political landscape. "Bung is the last person who should talk about loyalty or sincerity. He tried to bring down the very government he was part of, just to serve his own ambition. That speaks volumes," he said. He rejected Bung's claim that GRS betrayed Barisan Nasional (BN), calling it a clear attempt to distort the facts and shift blame. "It's Bung who conspired with Warisan and Parti Kesejahteraan Demokratik Masyarakat (PKDM) in January 2023 to topple the government led by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor. "He wasn't betrayed, he was the one doing the betraying. Even while sitting in the state Cabinet,he had no respect for his colleagues in the state government led by Hajiji as Chief Minister." Joniston added that GRS was never reliant on Umno. "If anyone needs to reflect, it's Bung. Why did even your own colleagues abandon your 'Langkah Kinabalu'? Why did PH support Hajiji, not you? The answer is obvious because the trust wasn't with you," he said. "Sabah isn't your political lifeline. Don't treat this state like your fallback plan," he said. Earlier today, Bung had said Sabah Umno will not cooperate with GRS for the 17th state election. He stressed that the party will only consider any form of cooperation with GRS after the election. Bung claimed that the bitter experience of working with GRS in the past has made Sabah Umno more cautious in forming political alliances, especially with the Sabah-based coalition, in orderto avoid being betrayed again. He had earlier announced BN's cooperation with Sabah Pakatan Harapan (PH), even before any formal decision was made by the top leadership of both coalitions. The collaboration was later formalised through a joint statement by leaders from both BN and PH at the federal level.
