Early Sabah polls possible, says Hajiji

Sabah Chief Minister Hajiji Noor has hinted that state polls might take place earlier than planned.

However, he hoped that there will not be any more attempts to seize power in the next state election, similar to what happened earlier this year, as it could jeopardise Sabah’s political stability.

Hajiji said that the dark episode in Sabah's politics was a deep disappointment as it was orchestrated by a few leaders who were part of the state government and the move had disrupted the administration.

Without naming the leaders or group involved, he said the state government was almost paralysed, adding that political instability, as well as frequent changes in government and chief ministers, could hinder the continuation of the state's previous policies and hamper development.

“Developing the state requires a reasonable timeframe, along with the commitment and dedication of the government to achieve the goal of making the state more advanced and prosperous.

“Sabah needs political commitment for immediate development. The key is stability, and only with stability can Sabah be developed," the Gagasan Rakyat Sabah president said in his keynote address at the Gagasan Rakyat 2023 Annual General Meeting in Kota Kinabalu today.

He said for the sake of political stability and in the interests of the people, Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) agreed to join the coalition government and support Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

While the GRS chairperson has not dismissed the possibility of an early Sabah state election, Hajiji said that the term for the GRS-Pakatan Harapan Plus administration should end in October 2025.

"Even though we still have two more years, we may consider having the state election earlier," he added.

As such, he said the Gagasan Rakyat machinery must be prepared to work hard to face the Sabah state polls because two years is not that far away.

However, when met by reporters after the event, Hajiji said he still had no idea when the state election would be held.

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