KOTA KINABALU: Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) parties are still united despite Bersatu and UMNO most likely to face each other in the 15th General Election (GE15), says the coalition chairman Datuk Hajiji Noor.

The Sabah Chief Minister and Sabah Bersatu chief said the political landscape in Sabah is unique and he reiterated that all parties in GRS had collectively agreed to complete their five-year term as the Sabah state government.

"What is important is from the beginning we had said that we would work together and cooperate as well as honour the mandate given to us by the people to rule.

"There is so much work for us to do, to implement our development agenda including managing the COVID-19 pandemic and at the same time, pursue economic recovery. Put politicking aside and let us focus on these," he said in a statement today.

GRS comprises Perikatan Nasional (Bersatu, STAR, SAPP, PAS and Gerakan), Barisan Nasional (UMNO, MCA, MIC, PBRS) and Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS).

Yesterday, Sabah UMNO chairman Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin declared the party's readiness to face Bersatu in the next general election and would be defending all the seats it won in the 14th General Election (GE14)

On Saturday (Oct 2), Bersatu president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said: "If Bersatu has to face UMNO in GE15, that is the political reality and Bersatu has its own strategy and ways while ready to face any eventuality in the future and it's up to the people to decide."

Hajiji said Muhyiddin's statement was based on UMNO president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi saying that the party would defend and not compromise on the parliamentary and state seats it won in the last general election.

"But in Sabah's political context, it is very unique here. It is a different situation (compared to West Malaysia). For us here in Sabah, we will discuss with all the component parties in GRS wisely and arrive at the best possible solution in facing the next general election," he said.

In the GE14 in 2018, UMNO won seven parliamentary seats in Sabah, namely, Kudat, Beaufort, Sipitang, Beluran, Libaran, Kimanis and Kinabatangan.

However, five of its Members of Parliament then joined Bersatu, namely, Datuk Abdul Rahim Bakri (Kudat), Datuk Azizah Mohd Dun (Beaufort), Datuk Seri Dr Ronald Kiandee (Beluran), Datuk Zakaria Mohd Edris (Libaran) and Yamani Hafez Musa (Sipitang).

Currently, UMNO holds only two of the 25 parliamentary seats in Sabah, namely, Kinabatangan which is represented by Bung Moktar and Kimanis, by Datuk Mohamad Alamin, who is also Deputy Education Minister II.

-- BERNAMA