KOTA KINABALU: The planned meeting of the four-party Sabah Pakatan Harapan to review its current position with Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) under Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor has been postponed.
Sabah Pakatan chairman Datuk Ewon Benedick said the meeting was rescheduled as it could not be held on Monday (Dec 16).
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"I am taking a flight back to Kuala Lumpur to attend a function at Istana Negara tomorrow (Tuesday, Dec 17)," he said.
No new date has been set for the meeting, the Upko president said when contacted.
Sabah DAP chairman Datuk Phoong Jin Zhe, whose party called for the review of Sabah Pakatan's role in administering the state, said he believed Sabah PKR also needed more time to study the matter.
The fourth coalition partner in the state is Sabah Amanah.
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The DAP central executive committee (CEC) had on Dec 10 granted a full mandate to the state chapter to reconsider its role in the state administration and decide on the next course of action following the alleged mining corruption scandal.
Phoong subsequently said the state DAP would meet other Pakatan component parties before making a decision.
Hajiji, who is GRS chairman and also Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah (Gagasan Rakyat) president, met Sabah Pakatan leaders on Friday (Nov 13) about continuing the two coalitions' working political pact.
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At a Gagasan Rakyat Christmas gathering on Saturday (Dec 14), Hajiji told party members that GRS was keen to work with Pakatan and he had conveyed this to national Pakatan chairman, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Hajiji told Gagasan Rakyat members that he prioritised unity and it was important for all parties, big or small, to work together and move forward as one.
Sabah Barisan Nasional led by Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin has made it clear it would not work with GRS, some of whose leaders have said national parties should not contest in the state election.
Hajiji said he had informed Barisan national chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi of GRS' confidence in winning the state polls.
ALSO READ: GRS must clear the air over partnership with Pakatan, says SAPP
Hajiji and Bung Moktar fell out in January last year, with Sabah Barisan withdrawing its support for GRS after they had cooperated in the September 2020 snap election.
Hajiji survived the coup when Sabah Pakatan assemblymen gave him their backing, together with several renegade Sabah Barisan assemblymen.
State opposition parties Parti Warisan, led by Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal, and Parti KDM, led by Datuk Peter Anthony, are in the national unity government but have stayed away from polls pact talks with any coalition.
