KOTA KINABALU: Sabah’s push for local agendas on a national level will be strengthened with the launch of Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah, says Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor.
The chief minister who took helm of Gagasan Rakyat recently after quitting Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia in December last year, said Gagasan Rakyat was a local party that fits the current state political requirements.
He said it had been a vision for himself, grassroot leaders and supporters, as well as former Sabah Chief Minister Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan that Sabah was led by a 'truly' local party and coalition.
"Today, with our grand launching of Gagasan Rakyat in the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah coalition, we can say that we achieved this vision and we are now truly a local entity," Hajiji said.
He said this when launching Gagasan Rakyat and the new party logo at the Sabah International Convention Centre here, Thursday (March 2).
He said now, Sabah was stronger and could push for its rights better.
With a mix of multi-racial parties under one roof, the overall state agenda can be further pushed and hopefully, remaining rights still not implemented under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), could be sped up, said Hajiji.
He said the purpose of politics and politicians were to work for the people and to ensure that state developments were carried out.
He said loyalty and priority of politicians were ultimately for the people and with the people, not other things.
Hajiji said leaders must have a strong sense of flexibility and be smart to read sentiments of change among grassroots and must be alert on current narratives.
"If we don’t change, we will fall. If we are not sensitive to the message of change, we will be brought down by the people," he said.
Having changed parties twice after becoming Chief Minister, he said it was inevitable that his latest decision in politics would call for criticism.
"But I am used to being criticised and condemned so I choose to keep quiet and not respond. I also tell my supporters not to respond," Hajiji said.
He said time would prove to nay-sayers that every decision made was worth it and would benefit the people of Sabah in the end.
He said in pushing for local agendas for the socio-economy of Sabah and its people, it was also important that the state work closely with the Federal Government if it wanted to see results from all the hard work put in.
Hajiji said the presence of national parties were still relevant and would continue to be in this country.
"What mattered most is that we as leaders take care of our own state and mould it as we see fit and for national leaders to acknowledge this while prioritising our needs for our state as well," he added.
GRS now consisted of Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS), Gagasan Rakyat, Sabah STAR, Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) and Usno.
