KOTA KINABALU, Nov 4 — There is no rush to discuss the issue of seats allocation for the coming 17th state election.
“Sabar dulu (be patient), we have one more year to go,” said Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Hajiji Noor.
He said this when asked to comment on the calls by some quarters for Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) to expedite the allocation of seats for the coming state election to its component members.
When asked if seats allocation had been discussed among GRS component parties’ leaders, Hajiji who is GRS chairman, said that there will be a meeting for them to do that.
“We will have a meeting ... Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah (Gagasan Rakyat) and GRS will discuss on the seats allocation as well as cooperation with other parties especially Pakatan Harapan (PH),” he said.
Hajiji who is also Gagasan Rakyat president, said this when met at the closing ceremony of the Konvensyen Mahasiswa GRS here today.
Hajiji in his speech earlier said he wants the Pelajar GRS movement to continue engaging with students in the state to ensure their support for coalition.
He said that young people will be key to GRS’s success in the 17th State Election.
“According to the latest records from the Election Commission (SPR), nearly 950,000 young voters (aged 18 to 40) will be eligible to vote in the 17th state election next year.
“Therefore, I encourage the Pelajar GRS movement to continue reaching out to students. This is crucial to securing their support for GRS, which is a party that places a special emphasis on the interests of young people.
“It’s essential that this wing helps to convince the public, especially students in institutions of higher learning, about the policies and initiatives carried out by the GRS government, as well as the importance of political stability for the future of the people and this state,” he said.
Meanwhile state Education Exco Datuk Dr Mohd Arifin Arif who was met after the event congratulated the organizers, saying, “This program is excellent, and what’s very important to me is how it provides valuable input to the government to improve, enhance and empower the Sabah Maju Jaya development halatuju.”
According to him, the program also allows students to share their views and opinions with the state government on what it needs to implement, improve or upgrade.
“I welcome suggestions, views, and even critiques from student leaders and peers across all universities to ensure, as the Chief Minister mentioned, every assistance we provide genuinely benefits the students.
“We want to hear the aspirations of young people, especially students in public and private higher learning institutions. Through this convention, we gain a better understanding of what they truly want, their suggestions, needs and the issues they face. That is the purpose of this convention,” he said.
According to the Science Technology and Innovation Minister, the students have made several requests including initiatives and assistance introduced by the state government along with suggestions on how they should be implemented.
This includes some recommendations not only regarding state government scholarships but also calls for support from scholarship and aid agencies, such as Yayasan Sabah, the Sabah State Education Fund and the Sabah Islamic Council.
“These are among the main contributors providing sponsorships for Sabahan students. We have also introduced a sponsorship portal that consolidates all sponsors under one roof to simplify access for students.
“I see a need for further improvements here to make it easier for students to access, fill in the required information and receive responses from our portal,” Arifin added. — The Borneo Post
