KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Barisan Nasional will support the current Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) led state government in line with the unity government in place at the federal level.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said that there will be no hostility from Sabah Barisan for the state government led by Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor until the next state election.
"For Umno, I have told my colleagues in Sabah Umno and Barisan that we will not do anything to offend the feelings of any party," Ahmad Zahid, who is Umno president and Barisan chairman, said.
He said the relationship between the state and federal government was already good but what was more important was for the relationship between parties within the state government to work together for the people.
He said the political situation in Sabah has cooled off in apparent reference to the attempted move by Sabah Barisan and Parti Warisan to topple Hajiji's GRS on Jan 6.
"Our intention is to continue to create a calm (political) situation among the parties in Sabah," he told reporters after attending a buka puasa (breaking of fast) event at Kg Benoni in Papar about 40km from here Saturday (April 8).
Ahmad Zahid said that various efforts were being made to ensure that the current state government remains till the next state election (due in Sept 2025).
"That is our intention. This is what we have signed for between us and them, this is what should be maintained."
But at the same time, he said that they hoped that various positions in GLCs, or local authorities or even village heads that have been agreed should be maintained, adding that they do want to disrupt the federal unity government.
He said that Sabah Umno's Karambunai assemblyman Datuk Yakuba Khan was tasked to lead the party at the state level unity secretariat to stabilise the political situation in the state.
Ahmad Zahid said that at the national level, the 20 parties under the unity government will be holding a special convention on May 14.
He said the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is expected to make some announcements then.
"We are able and we intend to work with friendly political parties, especially within 20 different parties under the unity government," he said.
On the rationale for the appointment of Sabah Umno chairman Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin and former federal minister Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Dahlan as Sabah Umno deputy chairman, Ahmad Zahid said that he believes that their combination would help strengthen the party for the benefit of Sabah.
