Perikatan Nasional (PN), Barisan Nasional (BN) and Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) in Sabah are now known as Gabungan Rakyat Sabah, said Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

He said this was decided at a special meeting yesterday with the top leaders of the three parties.

“As a result of yesterday’s important meeting, I would like to announce that a decision has been reached to name the coalition of parties (in Sabah) which is together with our struggle as Gabungan Rakyat Sabah,“ he said.

He said this when speaking at a meeting with the coalition’s prospective candidate for the Sulaman state seat, Sabah Bersatu chief Datuk Hajiji Noor, at the Bersatu headquarters here today.

Muhyiddin, who is also PN chairman, said all party members should possess a new spirit under Gabungan Rakyat Sabah to help each other and set aside whatever past conflicts or grudges.

“We have to cooperate with UMNO, PBS, SAPP, STAR, PBRS, MCA, which means the parties in the coalition are of one heart because it is unlikely one party can form the government on its own in Sabah,” he said, to applause from about 100 supporters who accompanied Hajiji.

Muhyiddin said if only PN and BN won, they would not be able to form a strong government in Sabah without the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah coalition.

He said if the state and federal governments are on the same page, Sabah would be able to develop more rapidly, especially in Tuaran, which is still in great need of development.

The prime minister also urged the people especially in Sulaman to work hard to help Hajiji retain the Sulaman seat for Bersatu.

Muhyiddin arrived at the Bersatu headquarters at 8.25 am to meet the party’s Sulaman candidate in the Sabah state election, before going to meet traders at the fish and general markets here.


-- BERNAMA