KOTA KINABALU, Feb 5 — Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Hajiji Haji Noor has officially taken over the helm of Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah (Gagasan Rakyat) following the party’s Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) today.

Hajiji, who is also Gabungan Rakyat Sabah chairman said that with this move all members now have a political platform that is 100 per cent local to continue with their struggle for the people and the state.

"Two main characteristics of Gagasan Rakyat that have attracted my colleagues and I to be with this party are that it is a multi-racial party symbolising inclusivity and it is a party representing the voice of Sabahans and with it, the local struggle,” he said.

These were also factors that have convinced partners in Gabungan Rakyat Sabah

(GRS) to accept Gagasan Rakyat as their latest component partner, he said at the Gagasan Rakyat EGM attended by more by 150 members at the Sabah International Convention Centre, here.

"Moreover, they (GRS component parties) have long expressed their wish for GRS to be a local platform in the real sense, that is for all the partners to be local parties. Now we are 100 per cent local.

Besides, Hajiji said Gagasan Rakyat’s agenda is also in line with the four pillars of GRS’s struggle – Sabah First; Sabah Forward; Sabah Prosper; and Sabah United.

"Being a local party does not mean we reject the national agenda nor put behind national interests.

Malaysia is our homeland. Nonetheless, the original goal of the formation of Malaysia was to bring progress to the people and Sabah,” he said.

"Today, and in conjunction with 2023 marking the 60 years anniversary of the formation of Malaysia, we are confident and truly believe that a local platform is the best for Sabah.

"We chose and decided that a local formula has the capability to galvanise the state’s interest and struggle in the Federation of Malaysia. We want a more valuable and meaningful implementation of the federalism system based on the Federal Constitution and the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).

"For this reason, we will work with any quarters that accept and puts Sabah’s interest first.

"What is more important for us is to get the recognition and the implementation of the rights, powers and special position of Sabah as enshrined in the highest law of the country which is the Federal Constitution, the law which gave birth to the Federation of Malaysia which is MA63. There is no Malaysia without the MA63,” he said.

"We are thankful that the country’s top leadership, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is committed to fulfilling Putrajaya’s responsibility to implement the MA63. He has yet to hold office for 100 days and we have already seen significant progress. We will continue to enhance cooperation with the Federal Government to build a progressive Sabah and Malaysia Madani,” he said.

Hajiji said he would explain in more details Gagasan Rakyat’s direction at the party’s forthcoming launch on March 2.

Gagasan Rakyat will now establish the party’s organisation structure in all 73 state constituencies including the formation of the party’s Wanita, Pemuda and Beliawanis wings.

The respective branches’ and divisions’ annual general meeting has been scheduled for July and September, respectively culminating in the Annual Congress in November.

Hajiji thanked the party’s former president, Stephen Jimbangan and his leadership team for their trust and confidence in him and for his readiness to sacrifice for the greater good of Sabah and the people.

Hajiji also announced the Supreme Council line-up with several more to be appointed in due course.

The deputy president of Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah is Datuk Seri Panglima Masidi Manjun who is also Sabah’s Finance minister.

Also in the council are Datuk Dr Mohd Arifin Mohd Arif as vice president 1, Datuk Rubin Balang as vice president 2 and Datuk Masiung Banah as vice president 3.

Meanwhile, the head of the Wanita’s movement is Datuk Redonah Bahanda, while Datuk Fairuz Renddan holds the position of Pemuda Movement chief and Emmie M. Idang as the party’s Beliawanis Movement chief.

Also appointed are Datuk Mohd Razali Razi as Honorary Secretary, Stephan Jacob Jimbangan as deputy Honorary Secretary, Datuk Ghulam Haidar Khan as Honorary Treasurer, Datuk Tahir Picho as Deputy Honorary Treasurer, and Datuk Nizam Datuk Seri Panglima Abu Bakar Titingan as Information Chief.

Also in the supreme council as members are Datuk Isnin Aliasnih @ Liasnih, Datuk Abdul Ghani Mohd Yassin, Samad Jambri @ Jamri, Dato Sri Ruddy Awah, Hassan A. Gani Pg Amir, Datuk Limus Jury, Datuk Jaffari Waliam, Senator Datuk John Ambrose, Senator Datuk Bobbey Suan, Datuk Mohd Basri Abdul Gafar, Sotijin Juhui, Maksit Saidi, Datuk Japlin Akim, Datuk Haji Abdul Hakim Gulam Hassan, Datuk Faisyal Yusof Hamdain Diego, Dato Seri Dr Arsit Sedi @ Sidi, Datuk Abdul Karim Abdul Wahid, Datuk Azman Ruslan, Datuk Awang Kadin Tang, and Datuk Maijol Mahap. — The Borneo Post