BELURAN, March 30 — Sabah Umno’s decision to continue working with Bersatu in the state is a rational move that must be welcomed in an effort to bring development, and to help people in the state, said Bersatu vice-president Datuk Seri Ronald Kiandee.

He said although the central Umno had decided to move on its own in the 15th General Election (GE15), Sabah Umno’s decision to continue working with Bersatu through the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) was in line with the people’s hope expressed in the Sabah state election last year.

“We welcome Sabah Umno to remain with GRS. I see the decision as rational and highly welcome because it is the aspiration of the people of Sabah to elevate GRS as the government at the state level,” he told reporters after the Back to School programme, here, today.

He was commenting on the recent statement by Sabah Umno Liaison Committee chairman Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin that Sabah Umno was to continue working with GRS for the sake of development and the people of Sabah, despite the central Umno’s decision to face the GE15 on its own.

Ronald, who is also the Agriculture and Food Industries Minister, said that GRS is the coalition of parties that offers the best, and Sabah Umno’s decision to continue working with component parties in GRS was the right decision, and needs to be supported.

He said that the move would also ensure that the politics in Sabah would be more stable and the state government could also focus more on managing the economy as well as efforts to contain the Covid-19 infection and its impact on the Sabahans.

Meanwhile, when asked about the allocation of parliamentary seats among GRS component parties for GE15, Ronald said that thus far there was no further discussion on the matter and it would be discussed as and when needed. — Bernama