KOTA KINABALU, May 9 -- Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) would contest the next state election independently if its current state government partner, Pakatan Harapan (PH), cooperates with Barisan Nasional (BN), said Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor.

Claiming a PH-BN pact would sideline local parties, Hajiji said GRS believes Sabah should be governed by natives who understand the state's aspirations.

"If the final decision of PH and BN is to cooperate in the upcoming state election, then GRS is prepared to contest independently and focus on collaboration with other like-minded local parties," he said in a statement today.

"Straying from this principle would mean ignoring the aspirations of a large segment of Sabahans."

His remarks foll...