No meeting, no plans to work with GRS - Bung Moktar

KOTA KINABALU – Claims that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim suggested Sabah Umno cooperate with Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) in the 17th state election but was rejected by the majority of Umno Division Chiefs in the state are merely speculation.

Sabah Umno Chief Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin denied receiving any such suggestion.

"I think this is just speculation. I have not heard of any directive to cooperate with GRS. As the Sabah Umno Chief, I have consistently stated that Sabah Umno will not cooperate with GRS.

"From the beginning, since we left the GRS government, Umno has maintained that we have no intention whatsoever of working with GRS," he said when contacted by Sinar on Sunday.

Sabah Umno had previously stated its stance against forming any cooperation with GRS, which is led by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor.

Bung was responding to reports that the majority of Sabah Umno leaders rejected Anwar’s suggestion, with at least 22 out of 25 Umno Division Chiefs opposing collaboration with Hajiji’s party, Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah (PGRS).

According to the report, Anwar met with Umno President Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and several BN/Umno Sabah leaders a few weeks ago.

He reportedly proposed that BN Sabah work together with GRS and PH, with a balanced seat distribution of approximately 24 to 27 seats per party.

The suggestion was said to have received positive feedback from Zahid and Sabah Umno Deputy Chief Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Dahlan.

However, Bung was reportedly reluctant, believing it would weaken Sabah Umno.

Bung also denied that any meeting between Sabah Umno leaders and the Prime Minister had taken place to discuss the matter.

"There was no meeting. That might also be speculation. No names were mentioned, it was just an assumption from the portal report. But if this is what they are saying—cooperation with GRS—we definitely do not want it and do not agree.

"Under them (the GRS government), our positions were removed, allocations were not given and now suddenly we are supposed to cooperate with such a party? It doesn’t make sense," he said.