Olivia Miwil
KOTA KINABALU: Sabah's ruling coalition, Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) has no plans to talk to Pas as it gears up for the next state election.
GRS secretary-general Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun said the coalition was open to electoral pacts but this did not include Pas, which is part of Perikatan Nasional.
Pas has a single representative in the Sabah State Assembly in Datuk Aliakbar Gulasan, an appointed assemblyman.
Aliakbar was appointed in 2020 when Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor was heading Sabah PN.
After the 2022 parliamentary elections, Hajiji and other Sabah Bersatu members quit the party and coalition to join Gagasan Rakyat, the GRS lynchpin.
Masidi said in Aliakbar's case, he should be regarded only as a nominated assemblyman rather than as part of GRS.
Asked about the Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP), which is part of both PN and GRS, Masidi said the party's leaders would eventually have to choose a side.
"However, within GRS, we believe this can be resolved amicably," Masidi said.
Masidi is tasked with chairing a committee to negotiate seat allocations among GRS components and other parties.