By Ombilod Onul, Fomer Tuaran PKR Chief
KOTA KINABALU: Parti Warisan has dismissed claims by Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) information chief Datuk Joniston Bangkuai that Sabahans’ aspiration for local leadership has been realised under GRS, calling it a political myth designed to mislead the people.
Fomer Tuaran PKR Chief Ombilod Onul said Joniston’s remarks are an attempt to whitewash the reality that the current GRS government remains subservient to Putrajaya and dependent on federal approval for every major decision.
“Let’s be clear — GRS is not leading Sabah; it is merely following orders. Every important policy, budget allocation, and development plan must first be approved by the federal government. That is not local leadership — that is federal submission,” Onul said.
Warisan Represented True Local Leadership
Onul said that Sabah’s true aspiration for local leadership was achieved in 2018 when a government led by Parti Warisan — a homegrown, Sabah-based party — came to power under Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal.
“For the first time in decades, Sabah was governed by Sabahans themselves — independent, accountable, and focused on the state’s own interests. Warisan embodied the principle of ‘Sabah for Sabahans,’ not ‘Sabah under Putrajaya’s control,’” he said.
He added that the Warisan-led government had actively pursued the restoration of Sabah’s rights under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), promoted inclusive and fair governance, and rebuilt investor confidence — achievements that GRS has failed to continue.
GRS’s ‘Local Leadership’ Narrative Is Hollow
Onul stressed that GRS itself was a political creation engineered by federal power brokers after the 2020 state election, designed to weaken Warisan’s independent and reformist stance.
“How can GRS claim to represent local leadership when its very existence is the result of federal manipulation? Even today, GRS leaders remain silent on Sabah’s 40% revenue entitlement under the Federal Constitution because they are afraid to offend their political masters in Kuala Lumpur,” he said.
A Coalition Bound by Convenience, Not Conviction
Onul also pointed out that GRS’s internal cracks are widening, with STAR and SAPP already quitting the coalition, while PBS appears increasingly at odds with Hajiji’s PGRS.
“GRS talks about unity, but what we see is disunity, confusion, and conflict. The coalition is held together not by principle, but by positions and projects,” he said.
Conclusion
Onul reiterated that Warisan will continue to fight for a government that truly represents the will and dignity of the people of Sabah.
“Sabahans deserve leaders who will stand tall and defend Sabah’s rights — not local faces acting as agents of federal control. True local leadership will only return when Warisan returns to lead Sabah,” he concluded.
