Sabah CM says SAPP's stand that only Sabah parties contest state seats not GRS' view

KOTA KINABALU, Aug 17 — Sabah chief minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor has dismissed the controversial remarks by Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) president Datuk Seri Yong Teck Lee that it should be an all-local affair at the next state elections.

He said it was a personal opinion of Yong and that it does not represent the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) state government’s sentiment.

Hajiji, who is GRS chairman, said the state has no plans to change its working relationship with its seven component party partners.

“I want to emphasise that the state government is driven by GRS and Pakatan Harapan (PH), and we are very thankful. So to me, this is an issue that we need to discuss in depth.

“But I also want to say that in the coming elections, we are a part of the unity government — and that includes Pakatan in Sabah. So we cannot split from our partners, PH and others, including Barisan Nasional,” he said.

Hajiji, who was speaking to reporters after attending the education ministry’s appreciation ceremony here today, said that the issue had not been discussed between the seven components.

“This is because the election is still a long way away — two years. We are focused on doing work to develop the state, solve our water and power issues. So we don’t want any politicking and disruptions,” he said.

Yong, recently said that GRS should contest all 73 seats in the coming state elections, and proposed that all peninsula-based parties should sit it out because he claimed a state election should be contested by local-based parties.

GRS’s seven component members are local-based parties, but it is currently allied with Pakatan Harapan (PH). GRS previously formed the state government with BN, until a falling out early this year, where PH played an integral role which prevented the toppling of GRS.

SAPP is a member of the state GRS coalition, which supports the unity government, while also being a member of the Perikatan Nasional coalition. Yong is deputy chairman in both GRS and PN.

When asked to comment on SAPP’s existing status in both the government and opposition’s camp, Hajiji declined to comment.

Yong’s remarks, made last weekend at a party meeting, instigated stinging replies from DAP’s state secretary Ginger Phoong as well as Sabah PN chairman Datuk Ronald Kiandee.

Phoong claimed that Yong was trying to destabilise both the federal and state governments by sowing discord among its members, while Kiandee said that no party can prevent another party from contesting.

Yong has defended his comments, saying that his party deserves to voice their opinions and stand.