KOTA KINABALU: The leadership of the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah and Pakatan Harapan Plus (GRS+PH Plus) State Government must be allowed to continue discussions based on mutual respect and consensus without external pressure, said Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) Supreme Council Member Datuk Fredian Gan.
Gan voiced strong support for GRS Deputy Secretary-General Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali’s recent stance that the Federal Unity Government model should not be imposed on Sabah, describing such moves as contrary to the spirit of Malaysia’s formation.
“I fully support Datuk Armizan’s position. As he rightly pointed out, the memorandum of understanding signed in December 2022 between five political coalitions was solely meant for the formation of the Federal Government,” said Gan in a statement today.
He added that the unique political arrangements in Sabah should be respected, just as similar autonomy is honoured in Sarawak and Johor.
“The long-standing political respect enjoyed by Sarawak, and more recently Sabah, contributes to Malaysia’s unique democratic framework. Imposing the Federal model on Sabah disregards the principle of equal partnership between Sabah, Sarawak and Malaya, enshrined in the spirit of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63),” he said.
Gan warned that forcing the Federal power-sharing formula on Sabah would undermine the foundational trust that holds the current State Government together.
He also cited the brief political manoeuvre dubbed “Langkah Kinabalu” as a violation of that trust, stating that rewarding such an attempted coup with power-sharing would set a dangerous precedent.
“The GRS – PH Plus Sabah Government is built on mutual trust. Attempts to disrupt this, such as Langkah Kinabalu, must be rejected outright. Forcing a Federal-style unity government onto Sabah would be seen as legitimising and rewarding that betrayal,” he said.
Gan reiterated his firm support for Armizan’s “principled stand,” describing it as essential to preserving Sabah’s political stability and respecting the intent of Malaysia’s founding fathers.
“This is not just about political arrangements. It is about upholding the values that define Sabah’s place within the Malaysian Federation,” he added. -pr/BNN
