Sabah UMNO sticking with its partners in GRS - Bung Moktar

Sabah UMNO chief Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin said it would defend the current Sabah government to ensure that promises made to the people in the 16th state election last year were fulfilled.

"From the beginning, Sabah UMNO has maintained that we will defend the GRS government to respect the mandate given by the rakyat in the last state election. We can also see that GRS has shown its effectiveness despite being new.

"This (effectiveness) is apparent in the good governance to protect Sabah's eocnomic well-being and the people's interests ... Sabah UMNO as part of GRS stays focused on developing Sabah," he said in a statement today.

GRS comprises Perikatan Nasional parties (Bersatu, Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku - STAR, Sabah Progressive Party - SAPP, and PAS); BN (UMNO, MCA, MIC and Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah - PBRS), and PBS.

Bung Moktar, who is Sabah Deputy Chief Minister, said this stand was conveyed to Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Hajiji Noor, who is GRS chairman, after the state cabinet meeting yesterday.

Bung Moktar, who is GRS deputy chairman 1, said as such the GRS-led aministration in Sabah was functioning as usual, focusing on championing the people's interests especially in combating the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The mandate given by the people to form the government should be used to develop Sabah, which has been left quite far behind and is grappling with COVID-19, which caused economic instability and problems for many companies, entrepreneurs, and hotel and tourism operators.

Commenting on the UMNO Supreme Council's decision last night to withdraw the party's support for Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin with immediate effect, he said: "Sabah UMNO respects the decision."

Meanwhile, STAR president Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan, who is also Deputy Chief Minister, said in a statement that Sabah UMNO's decision to stay with its GRS partners strengthened Sabah UMNO's autonomous status and showed that it gave priority to the interests of Sabahans.

"The opposition has repeatedly tried to disturb this government but was disappointed because the parties that form GRS have leaders who know that real power lies in the hands of the people," said Jeffrey, who is also GRS deputy chairman III.