PITAS: Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah (Gagasan Rakyat) initiated preparations for the 17th State Election (PRN17) with the establishment of its Pitas division today.
The Chief Minister and President of Gagasan Rakyat, Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Hajiji Haji Noor, asserted that all 73 divisions of the party should be fully prepared to secure the victory of Gagasan Rakyat and the Sabah People’s Coalition (GRS).
He emphasised the necessity for all divisions and branches, including the Women, Youth, and Young Women wings, to commence the strengthening of the party’s infrastructure and expand its membership.
“We will start in the Pitas division as the General Election is approaching, expected in approximately two years,” he remarked.
“Should GRS and the 73 divisions of Gagasan Rakyat be prepared, fortify the divisions, expand membership, and enhance our wings, we can aim to secure the public’s mandate in the forthcoming PRN,” he stated during the inauguration of the Gagasan Rakyat Pitas division at Dataran Pitas.
Present were Gagasan Rakyat Pitas division chief, Datuk Seri Ruddy Awah; Gagasan Rakyat Secretary General, Datuk Mohd Razali Razi; GRS Youth chief Datuk Fairuz Renddan; and Young Women chief, Miss Emmie M. Idang.
The Pitas division of Gagasan Rakyat is the first to be established by Hajiji at the division level, following the party’s state-level launch on March 2nd.
Hajiji conveyed that the public’s positive response indicates a promising future for Gagasan Rakyat in the state.
“Our constituents seek a local party as our platform to advocate for Sabah’s populace. The inception of this party was a challenging endeavor, reflecting the tumultuous and obstacle-ridden political journey in Sabah,” he explained.
“Nevertheless, I am optimistic that, with this Gagasan Rakyat, this local party, in conjunction with GRS, will triumph in Sabah. This formidable coalition is our strategy for the upcoming PRN,” he added.
“We aim to unify the people, having faced multifarious political tribulations in Sabah. Our accomplishments today are attributed to our choice to embrace a local party,” he continued.
He expressed conviction in Gagasan Rakyat’s acceptance by the Sabah community, attributing this to its multi-racial party concept.
The party’s efforts, he conveyed, will serve as a potent indicator to the opposition of the robust political platform Gagasan Rakyat and GRS embody.
He also reaffirmed his faith in GRS’s competency, comprising seven parties, to surmount challenges in Sabah’s development as aspired by the state’s residents.
“Our commitment in Gagasan Rakyat is to prioritise a local party. It is essential for us to maintain harmonious relations and foster collaboration with national parties, even though our allegiance lies with the local party,” he elucidated.
“We must consolidate GRS and foster collaboration with allied parties, as unity fosters strength and progress. We should learn from history, as internal strife has been detrimental,” he cautioned.
Furthermore, Hajiji assured that development initiatives in districts, including Pitas, will align with GRS government’s pledge of comprehensive development and protecting the interests of the state’s populace.
He guaranteed that the government’s announced projects will materialise, catering to the state’s development and welfare of the residents, with an emphasis on rural areas.
