KOTA KINABALU, Nov 16 — Gabungan Rakyat Sabah chairman Datuk Hajiji Noor said he is confident that his coalition together with the Barisan Nasional (BN) will win 15 out of the 25 seats they are contesting in the 15th general election (GE15).

Hajiji, who is also the state Bersatu chairman, was commenting on caretaker prime minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s declaration that they are targeting 15 seats from Sabah out of the collaboration.

"I would like to state that our pact can get more than 15 parliamentary seats in Sabah,” he said when asked by reporters in Batu Sapi.

Yesterday, Ismail said he is confident that the spirit of cooperation between the BN and GRS machinery would help them achieve the target, including the seats in zone five of Sabah covering Beluran, Libaran, Batu Sapi, Sandakan and Kinabatangan.

"In Sabah, I am told that (BN-GRS) can contribute a minimum of 14 (parliamentary) seats towards (the formation) of the federal government. The formation of the federal government is dependent on the seats in Sabah.

"As such, I’m counting on the contribution (of Parliamentary seats) from Sabah, especially the zone five areas,” Ismail said in his speech at a meet-and-greet event with the people of Libaran at the Gum Gum People’s Housing Project in Sandakan.

GRS, which includes Sabah Bersatu and BN, are collaborating at the state level. However, there have been around four reported "clashes” between the two sides.

Hajiji, despite being Sabah Bersatu chairman, has also not explicitly stated who they would support as prime minister to form the government.