Sabah local party PHRS applies to join PH

© Provided by FMT MEDIA SDN BHD

KOTA KINABALU: Parti Harapan Rakyat Sabah (PHRS), that left the local opposition coalition Gabungan Sabah immediately after the recent 14th general election, has decided to switch its allegiance to Pakatan Harapan.

PHRS president Lajim Ukin said the party sent its application to join the coalition in May but has not heard anything from the PH leadership so far.

“However, I have met the leaders of all four parties and told them of our intention. They were favourable to the proposal but I was told they still need to have a meeting to consider our applications.

“This is understandable because in a coalition, they will need a consensus. Even if only one party objects to any proposal, that issue will have to be shelved,” he said at a press conference here today.

Lajim, who was Sabah PKR chief before quitting the party in 2016 to form PHRS, said the party decided on this new direction after considering the stance by PH, particularly in defending the rights and interests of Sabah and Sarawak under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).

He said PHRS is convinced by the sincerity shown by PH to fully restore the rights of both the Bornean states.

The decision to support PH, he said, is in line with the party election promises which placed emphasis on fighting for Sabah and its people’s rights, both socially and economically.

“PHRS will take a proactive role in handling the autonomy issue, according to the MA63. We also decided to work together with the state government, led by Warisan and Chief Minister Shafie Apdal, to ensure Sabah continues to prosper,” he said.

Lajim is hoping PH will decide on the matter soon but said the party will not rush the coalition to accept it immediately.

In the May 9 general election, Lajim and his party fought for state rights and aligned itself with other parties, such as Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (STAR) and Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP), led by Jeffrey Kitingan and Yong Teck Lee, both known for their struggle for more autonomy to be given to Sabah and Sarawak.

It is understood that although Lajim is pushing for his party to be in the coalition, some quarters are uncomfortable with the proposition.

Warisan, PH’s partner in Sabah, and especially Shafie, Warisan’s president, is said to be not in favour of the proposed partnership.

However, Lajim is hoping his good relationship with PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim will help smoothen out things.

More recently, Lajim was photographed attending PH’s second-anniversary celebrations. He and his deputy president, Maijol Mahap, were seen welcoming Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad during his visit to Sabah last week. – FMT News