GRS hoping to broaden coalition with eye on Borneo bloc, says analyst

An analyst said GRS is looking to win the bulk of seats at the Sabah state election with a view to forming a Borneo bloc with GPS. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA: Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) may be looking towards being part of a Borneo bloc in the near future as it seeks to broaden its coalition ahead of the next state election, says a political analyst.

James Chin of the University of Tasmania said GRS’s willingness to collaborate is evident from Hajiji Noor’s assurance that his coalition is open to working with all parties, including Sabah Umno and Barisan Nasional.

James Chin.

Last week, the GRS chairman said he would not rule out a collaboration at state level, saying: “In politics, nothing is impossible.” Hajiji also pointed out that Umno-BN is already represented in the current Sabah government.

Chin said GRS may be looking to replicate the resounding success achieved by Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) at the Sarawak state election three years ago. He said the ruling Sabah coalition may also be moving towards forming a “Borneo bloc” with GPS.

The bloc is being proposed as a coalition of parties from Sabah and Sarawak seeking to enhance their collective political influence and bargaining power within Malaysia.

Chin told FMT that GPS was not in a position to participate in a Borneo bloc presently because “Sabah politics is all over the place”.

He said the coalition will have its alliances in place before the next state election as the “highly personalised” nature of Sabah politics makes post-election collaborations “difficult to put together”.

Hajiji’s openness to a collaboration, however, has yet to be reciprocated, with Sabah Umno leader Jeffery Nor Mohamed previously dismissing the idea. The Putatan Umno chief said the party should not team up with those who do not honour their commitments.

Sabah parties and coalitions have to date not decided on their allies for the next state election, which must be held no later than on Dec 9 next year.

Zaini Othman.

GRS teamed up with Sabah Umno in the state election in 2020, but is now allied with Pakatan Harapan in the Sabah government. For its part, PH had worked with Warisan, which currently sits as the opposition in the state assembly.

Zaini Othman of Universiti Malaysia Sabah predicted that major parties in Sabah — including GRS, Warisan, Parti Bersatu Sabah and Umno — would likely contest the elections individually and decide on alliances after the polls.

He said this was due to the complex political situation in which partners at the federal level are rivals in the Sabah assembly.

“Cooperation among parties to form the state government will only happen after the results of the election are known,” Zaini predicted.

He said the statements by state Umno leaders on the matter may be inconsequential given that the party’s Sabah strategy will likely be determined and organised by its central leadership.