By Yussof J. Imbang
TONGOD: Datuk Masiung Banah, the Vice President of the Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah Gagasan Rakyat, hinted that the 17th state general election (PRN) could take place before mid-next year.
As such, he urged the party’s three main wings in Sabah—youth, women, and young women—to form their own teams to work together in the upcoming PRN campaign, which could happen at any time.
The Kuamut Gagasan Rakyat chief delivered a keynote speech and officially opened the party’s annual general meeting at the District Council Community Hall here on Saturday.
Meanwhile, four key leaders from opposition parties in Kuamut announced their departure from their respective parties to join Gagasan Rakyat under Masiung’s leadership.
They include Abdul Gafar Jailani, former coordinator of Umno for the Keramuak polling district; Michael Orogan, former chairman of Umno’s Tongod zone; Libon Ali, coordinator for BERSATU in the Kuamut state assembly; and Kalmin Bambasang, deputy coordinator of Umno’s Tongod zone and head of the Umno Bingkulat branch.
Masiung instructed the heads of Gagasan Rakyat’s polling district and zone chairpersons to prepare and form a task force for the upcoming PRN.
He stated that Gagasan Rakyat will collaborate with component parties of the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) and Pakatan Harapan (PH) to establish a campaign team across the state.
“From now on, all party machinery in GRS must not delay and should actively focus on organising election efforts.
“All three main wings of GRS should engage with the grassroots to understand community issues while working together towards a common goal,” he said, receiving enthusiastic applause from around 500 delegates and observers.
