KOTA KINABALU: The people of Sabah have again been urged to have faith in Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) and ensure it emerges victorious at the upcoming state election.
“It is afterall what you desire….local parties to take charge of local affairs in the state,” says Datuk Dr Yee Moh Chai, a deputy president of Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS).
PBS is part of GRS – an eight-party GRS coalition under the stewardship of Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Hajiji Haji Noor.
He says GRS is the best choice for Sabah as it cares for all and sundry.
According to Dr Yee, GRS leaders, especially the Chief Minister, do not procrastinate when there are urgent matters to be dealt with.
“Not tomorrow or “overmorrow” but immediately because the government is committed to making Sabah a better place for everyone, and with focus on inclusive development, improving infrastructure and addressing poverty,” he adds.
Dr Yee, a former Deputy Chief Minister, also describes a recent statement by Sabah Barisan Nasional (BN) information chief Datuk Suhaimi Nasir that the BN could return as a backbone of the state government as a “wimpish bid”.
Suhaimi had claimed that this was based on the current level of support for the party and that the BN’s fall in Sabah was not due to losing election but party-hopping.
“Come on, Datuk Suhaimi, get your head out of the clouds. The BN has no chance.
“Gone are the days when the mention of BN simply means power. Your time is over,” Dr Yee says.
He enthuses that with an unblemished record of governance since 2020, the GRS is poised to do well at the election.
“The GRS is not perfect but the inescapable fact is that it has brought about political stability and improved the state’s economy,” Dr Yee says.
And, he also points out that the Chief Minister is someone who not only is politically savvy but also an effective and people-oriented leader.
The Sulaman Assemblyman, he adds, keeps the people’s best interests front and centre.
Not long ago, Dr Oh Ei Sun, a Senior Fellow at the Singapore Institute of International Affairs had pointed out that the Chief Minister was “underrated”.
And he also called to mind how Hajiji succeeded in putting together a large coalition in the most adverse of political circumstances following the 2020 state election.
Meanwhile, Dr Yee says the government under Hajiji’s leadership has drawn up pragmatic policies and the leaders understand the importance of public perception of their credibility and image.
“They are taking pro-active action to enhance the people’s socio-economic well-being because that will influence the choices they make at the ballot box,” he adds.
And, Dr Yee also warns that to secure a resounding victory at the election, there must be sincere cooperation among all the eight component parties.
Dissatisfaction over the allocation of seats and backstabbing, he says, will only ruin the coalition’s poll performance.
Dr Yee reiterates ‘back GRS’ call
