PUTRAJAYA, Dec 14 — Papar MP Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali today said he is not fazed by rumours of Parti Warisan and Sabah Umno teaming up against his Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) coalition led by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor for the next state elections.

The newly-appointed minister of domestic trade and cost of living said he has better things to do like ensuring a strong and stable federal government and fixing the economy.

"It’s their right, I don’t want to comment too much on it. I feel it won’t be a big issue since my focus and this government’s focus is on completing our duties,” he told reporters after officiating the Malaysian Goods Carnival event here.

"We must remember — and they know this as well — that we in the government are united. We and the parties have signed the memorandum of understanding to work together and that’s our commitment to the people.

"For now I feel be it at the federal level or state we need a strong stable government to focus on improving the people’s plight and having political stability is crucial for such progress,” he added.

Armizan is a direct member of GRS, but has formerly been in both Sabah Umno and Sabah Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia.

All three of GRS, Umno and Warisan are part of the federal government coalition.

Separately, Armizan also said that his ministry has no plans to cancel the Menu Rahmah and Payung Rahmah initiatives spearheaded by his predecessor, the late Datuk Salahuddin Ayub, as Putrajaya has already allocated RM200 million for them.

Earlier today, Sabah Umno chairman Datuk Bung Moktar Radin had attended Warisan’s annual general meeting, fuelling rumours of an alliance between the two parties in Sabah.

Leaders of both parties have hinted at a potential alliance, although they stopped short of confirming the extent of their relationship.

Previously, Shafie had expressed openness to forming a strategic alliance with Umno in the upcoming 17th Sabah state election, as long as the two parties are compatible with each other.

Sabah’s next state elections will be in 2025.