The proposals to get Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) registered as a political party and limit the tenure of the Sabah Chief Minister to two terms will be discussed jointly by the coalition party leaders, said GRS chairman Datuk Hajiji Noor.

The Sabah Chief Minister said in principle, the two proposals seem appealing but they must have the consent of all GRS component parties before it could be implemented.

Hajiji said he welcomed state Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin’s readiness to discuss thoroughly the proposal to register GRS as a political party and hoped the move would strengthen cooperation in GRS.

“The Sabah state government is supported by GRS so to officially register GRS is a proposal that can be considered. Whatever is good for Sabah and GRS politics, we will look into them and make an in-depth study,” he told reporters here on Sunday.

Earlier, Hajiji who is also Sabah Bersatu chief launched the Bersatu Tuaran Division Annual Assembly at Rumpun Bajau Sama Sabah Cultural Centre here.

Hajiji was commenting on a statement by GRS Backbenchers Club chairman Datuk Seri Dr Salleh Said Keruak who had suggested that GRS leaders take immediate steps to register the coalition as an official political coalition.

Salleh, who is also Usukan state assemblyman, was reported to have said it was a move to strengthen GRS which was formed at the 16th state election and it was necessary to avoid a break-up among coalition members especially between BN and Perikatan Nasional (PN)

On Saturday, Bung Moktar, who is also GRS deputy chairman 1, was reported to have said that the proposal to register GRS as an official political coalition requires in-depth study.

GRS is a coalition of parties in PN (Bersatu, Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku, Parti Progresif Sabah and PAS), BN (Umno, MCA, MIC and Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah) and Parti Bersatu Sabah

Elaborating on the proposal for the Sabah Chief Minister post to be limited to two terms, Hajiji said the motion proposed during the Bersatu Divisional Annual Assembly in Sabah would be brought to the government level for consideration after it has been agreed at the GRS component party level.

“The proposal will involve amendments to the Sabah State Constitution, so this needs to be thoroughly examined by all parties, including the GRS leadership, only then, can we take the next course of action,” he said.

Apart from Bersatu Tuaran division, the motion was earlier supported by Kudat, Penampang, Papar, Kimanis, Tenom, Pensiangan, Ranau, Sandakan, Libaran, Batu Sapi and Tawau divisions.

Meanwhile, support for Bersatu in Sabah is growing by leaps and bounds and this is evident in the number of people applying to join the party.

On Sunday, Hajiji received 800 membership application forms from interested individuals in Tuaran.

The applications were from former UPKO Tuaran members, Malaysia Young Parliamentarian and former UPKO Tambalugu members.

Handing over the 400 forms on behalf of former UPKO Tuaran members was its former Supreme Council member Lausop Bungkaris while representing former UPKO Tambalugu was its former youth chief Jo Sabastian who submitted 300 forms.

Mohd Shafik Sabdali from Malaysia Young Parliamentarians submitted 100 forms.

The handing over of the membership forms was done after Hajiji who is also Bersatu Tuaran chief officiated the division’s annual delegates congress which was held at the  Pusat Kebudayaan Rumpun Bajau Sama Sabah in Tuaran on Sunday.

Also present were Bersatu Tuaran deputy chief Datuk Abdul Kassim Razali and vice chief Datuk Johari Saiman, Srikandi chief Datin Jamaliah Antalip and Armada chief Mohammad Ghazali Hajiji.

Source:
courtesy of THE BORNEO POST

by THE BORNEO POST

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