KOTA KINABALU: The three-day Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) weekend retreat for backbenchers is a positive step, says Datuk Seri Mohd Salleh Tun Said Keruak.

       The GRS backbenchers club chairman said on Monday (Feb 7) that the retreat was good as it can help ensure that the loose coalition that took over the state government 16 months ago is strengthened.

       However, he did not want to specify which areas where progress was achieved by the coalition of 10 parties to strengthen their coalition.

       A key issue among GRS components was to register GRS as a Sabah-based party similar to Sarawak’s Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS).

       Sabah Umno chairman Datuk Bung Moktar Radin remains non-committal but open to the idea of registering GRS as a party.

       The Sabah Barisan Nasional chief said there are benefits to GRS being registered as a party for political stability in the state.

       Political stability was very important for the government to plan and implement various development projects, especially to improve the state’s economy and improve the lives of the people, he added.

       “We welcome this proposal. However, it will be detailed in a meeting as proposed by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor,” he said.

       During the backbenchers meeting over the weekend, Hajiji dismissed talk of souring relations between him and Bung Moktar, Sabah STAR chairman Datuk Seri Jeffrey Kitingan and also Parti Bersatu Sabah Datuk Seri Maximus Ongkili.

       Hajiji told the backbenchers that he maintained a good working relationship with Bung Moktar and the other leaders and discussed various issues with them in the interest of the state.

       Bung Moktar, in his talk with the backbenchers, admitted that the coalition was perceived as fragile.

       However, he said that what was important was for all of them to stick together as one team.

       He said a strong consensus among coalition partners would ensure the survival of the coalition, which involves Sabah Barisan, Sabah Perikatan Nasional and Parti Bersatu Sabah.

       Developments between Barisan and Perikatan at the national level has cast doubt on the existing relations between Perikatan and Barisan in the state. Bung Moktar has often said that the GRS was the result of the mandate given by the people in the Sept 26, 2020 snap state election.

       GRS currently has the support of 52 assemblymen in the 78-member assembly, and the coalition toppled the Warisan Plus government led by Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal in the state election.