KOTA MARUDU, Jan 5 — Former Parti Warisan Sabah (Warisan) vice-president, Datuk Peter Anthony’s intention to form a new government-friendly party would further strengthen the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS)-led state government, said chief minister Datuk Hajiji Noor.

Hajiji, who is also the GRS chairman, said the Melalap assemblyman’s plan was a good development for the state government.

"That’s his (decision). We practise democracy and he has made the decision of setting up a new party that is GRS government-friendly.

"To me as head of the GRS government, this is a positive development as it will further strengthen the state government. Hence, we are thankful,” he said when asked by reporters on Peter’s intention after handing out food baskets and wang ihsan (compassionate cash aid) of RM1,000 for each flood-affected household, here, today.

Asked whether Peter, who quit Warisan recently, had contacted him personally on his intention, Hajiji said not yet.

Last December 28, Peter announced that he had quit Warisan and stated his intention to form a new party which would cooperate with the GRS-led state government in championing the rights and wellbeing of Sabahans after seeing Warisan going off tangent from its struggles by spreading its wings to the peninsula. — Bernama