By WU VUIDE
KOTA KINABALU: Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (Star Sabah) and Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) will contest the 17th Sabah Election (GE17) under their own symbols, a move that effectively ends their membership in Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS).
GRS Secretary-General Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun said the decision by Star president Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan and Sapp president Datuk Seri Yong Teck Lee was conveyed during the coalition’s Presidential Council meeting on Oct 1, chaired by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor.
“They made it clear that their parties preferred to contest using their own logos rather than be bound by the seat allocation arrangement between GRS and Pakatan Harapan (PH),” Masidi said in a statement yesterday.
The nearly two-hour meeting saw Hajiji reminding all component parties of the cooperation agreement with PH and emphasising that unity required every GRS candidate to stand under the GRS symbol.
“After an open and frank discussion, it was resolved that any party contesting under its own symbol is deemed to have left GRS. By their decision, Star and Sapp are no longer part of the coalition,” Masidi said.
Despite parting ways, Masidi said GRS respected the decision of Star and Sapp to go solo.
He added that both party leaders acknowledged the right of other components to remain in the coalition and continue the strategic partnership with PH.
The remaining GRS components – Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah (PGRS), Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS), United Sabah National Organisation (Usno), Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Parti Harapan Rakyat Sabah (PHRS) and Parti Cinta Sabah (PCS) – reaffirmed their commitment to contesting under one symbol in PRN-17.
Masidi stressed that the meeting ended on a cordial note, with leaders agreeing to respect differing views in the spirit of democracy.
“GRS will continue to strengthen its machinery and sharpen strategies for the upcoming election, with full focus on ensuring stability and prosperity for Sabah,” he said.
