Gagasan Rakyat Will Back Former Leaders Contesting Under PKR, Says Hajiji

KOTA KINABALU, Nov 10 (Bernama) -- Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah (Gagasan Rakyat) will continue to support its two former leaders who are contesting under PKR in the 17th Sabah state election, as they represent a component party within the Unity Government.

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor, who is also Gagasan Rakyat president, said the decision made by Datuk Jamawi Jaafar and Datuk George Hiew Vun Zin was their democratic right and should be respected.

Hajiji, who is Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) chairman, said every individual has the freedom to choose the party they wish to represent, and such decisions reflect healthy democratic practices in Sabah.

“Of course, it is their democratic right to choose the party they want to contest under. They chose to contest on a PKR ticket.

“As it happens, PKR is also part of the Unity Government,” he told reporters after witnessing the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Sabah Government and Maybank to finance Blue Economy projects in Sabah at Menara Kinabalu here today.

Hajiji said the move by the two individuals does not pose any issue for GRS or Gagasan Rakyat, as it reflects Sabah’s unique and dynamic political landscape.

In an announcement made yesterday by Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Jamawi and Hiew will contest under PKR in the Melalap and Karamunting state seats, respectively, in the state election.

-- BERNAMA