Voters in Sabah should carefully assess the track records of candidates and parties before the November 29 election, says caretaker chief minister Hajiji Noor.
Choosing the wrong party could hinder the state’s development, he warned.
GRS Highlights Five-Year Achievements
Hajiji, who chairs Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS), praised the coalition’s strong performance during its five years in power.
“Sabah cannot afford to choose the wrong party to lead the government after the election,” he said at a gathering with GRS election machinery for Sulaman in Kampung Lok Batik today.
GRS focuses on public development, economic growth, aid for the poor, village amenities, and children’s education.
“All of this has been proven over the five years we were entrusted with a mandate by the people.”
Welfare and Housing Initiatives
The administration provides monthly aid of RM250 to RM500 to over 70000 recipients, including persons with disabilities and senior citizens.
This year, it built 40 units of Rumah Mesra Sabah Maju Jaya, with 10 more units per constituency allocated for newlywed youth.
“I am deeply moved to see people receiving the homes they have long dreamed of. Their dreams have been fulfilled because of GRS’s efforts,” Hajiji said.
Hajiji faces a five-cornered fight to retain Sulaman in the 17th Sabah state election.
Opponents include Shahnon Rizal Thajuddin of Barisan Nasional, Mokhtar Hussin of Parti Warisan, Pajudin Nordin of Parti Impian Sabah, and Tiaminah @ Siti Aminah Ele of Perikatan Nasional.
He won the seat in the previous election on a Perikatan Nasional ticket with a 3099-vote majority and has held it since 1990.
Call for More Parliamentary Seats
Separately, Hajiji welcomed the federal government’s plan to increase parliamentary representation for Sabah and Sarawak.
The move addresses imbalances due to vast land areas and population growth.
“Several parliamentary constituencies in Sabah are now no longer balanced in terms of population and actual size,” he told reporters after the same event.
For example, Kinabatangan spans an area as large as Pahang but has only one seat, while Tuaran exceeds Perlis in size yet shares the same representation.
Hajiji, also president of Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah, said the increase aligns with the Malaysia Agreement 1963.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim earlier reaffirmed the unity government’s commitment to this policy.
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