Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) chairman Hajiji Noor has denied claims that he unilaterally formalised an electoral pact with Pakatan Harapan (PH) without first seeking consensus from other coalition leaders.
“No, no, no. We have discussed this. In GRS, all leaders are party presidents,” Hajiji told reporters, referring to the coalition’s decision-making structure.
He was responding to questions on whether the agreement with PH had been made without collective consultation.
Previously, Hajiji had stated that any decision to form an electoral alliance with PH or other coalitions would be determined by the GRS Supreme Council. However, the meeting to deliberate on the matter has yet to be convened.
When pressed on when the council would meet, he replied:“I’ll call it later. How can I tell you now? The date has not been set.”
His comments came after Parti Gagasan Rakyat’s annual general meeting on Sunday, during which Hajiji confirmed that GRS would contest the upcoming state election in partnership with PH.
The announcement is widely believed to have been made without prior consultation with leaders of the other seven GRS component parties — SAPP, Sabah STAR, Parti Cinta Sabah, the Liberal Democratic Party, USNO, Parti Harapan Rakyat Sabah, and Parti Bersatu Sabah.
Several GRS leaders have privately or publicly indicated that the proposal was never formally tabled or discussed at the Supreme Council level.
Hajiji dismissed suggestions that he had acted alone:“Don’t pay too much attention. In Sabah, there’s too much politics — too many opinions, too clever,” he remarked, implying that critics were overinterpreting internal coalition dynamics.
Parti Gagasan Rakyat, Hajiji’s party, held a three-day general assembly over the weekend, where observers anticipated that the proposed partnership with PH would feature prominently, even if not formally addressed.
Political analysts believe Hajiji is under mounting pressure to solidify ties with PH, both to ensure electoral stability and to strengthen his position amid ongoing challenges, including a mining-linked corruption scandal that has eroded GRS’s standing.
