KOTA KINABALU: Saturday's (May 28) launching ceremony of Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS), which was approved as a political entity in March, is timely and in line with the wishes of Sabah's people.

       Sabah Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) information chief Khairul Firdaus Akbar Khan said the coalition will be able to drive growth and ensure continuity in the state, as needed at present.

       “The formation of GRS is suitable for Sabah’s (political) situation, and its launching is to deliver the demands and aspirations of Sabahans.

       “GRS is the present and future leadership for the state that will present the voices and struggles of Sabah's people," he said in a statement on Thursday (May 26).

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       Previously, Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor announced that the coalition received the certificate of approval from the Registrar of Societies (RoS) on March 11, following calls from supporters to see the state's governing parties placed under a registered political pact.

       GRS consists of Sabah Bersatu, SAPP, Sabah STAR, Usno and PBS.

       In total, GRS holds 31 state assembly seats including nominated assemblymen while its allies (Umno, PAS, KDM and one government-friendly Independent) have 21.

       The Opposition has 26 representatives, with the Bugaya seat currently vacant following the passing of its elected representative, Manis Muka Mohd Darah, who was with Parti Warisan.

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       Khairul added that GRS already had a strong foundation in terms of cooperation among its component parties, with the primary goal being to bring prosperity and stability to Sabah.

       “The diverse voices in the pact will also bring about innovation, improvements and high-impact results, particularly in achieving the Hala Tuju Sabah Maju Jaya (SMJ) vision,” he added.