KOTA KINABALU, Feb 14 — Amidst tense relationship between Umno and the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) state government, Sabah Barisan Nasional component Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS) has declared its support for the latter.

PBRS president Datuk Arthur Joseph Kurup said that the party will continue to support chief minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor and support the development agenda for Sabah under the national "unity” government.

"Our support never wavered, we have not changed our stance since the chief minister was given the mandate in 2020,” said Kurup in a statement today.

He said that their continued support was a testament to Hajiji’s leadership especially in ensuring political stability and unity in Sabah remains.

"Our priority is to ensure the development agenda and economic growth continues to excel, while efforts to regain our rights under the Malaysian Agreement 1963 gets resolved as soon as possible for everyone’s benefit,” said the Pensiangan MP.

Although PBRS has no elected state assemblymen; the announcement politically strengthens hajiji’s position after an alleged power tussle by Sabah Umno and Parti Warisan failed earlier this year.

The two parties were said to have intended to topple Hajiji as the chief minister but failed at the final hour as Pakatan Harapan’s seven assemblymen and five of Sabah Umno’s assemblymen moved to support Hajiji.

Since then, Sabah MCA, also a part of the BN, has also come out to declare their support towards Hajiji.

Umno and the GRS are both a part of the federa government were declared to be under a "cooling down period” as they find a more favourable "solution”.