KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor was officially elected as Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah (Gagasan Rakyat) president at the party’s Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) yesterday.

Hajiji, who is also Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) chairman, in a statement said the party is now a political platform that is 100 per cent local to continue their struggle for the people and the state.

“The two main characteristics that have attracted me and my friends to be Gagasan Rakyat are that it is a multi-racial party that symbolises inclusivity and it also represents the voice of Sabahans,” he said.

He said Gagasan Rakyat’s agenda was also in line with the four pillars of GRS’ struggle, namely Sabah First, Sabah Forward, Sabah Prosper and Sabah United.

“We chose and decided that the local formula has the capability to push the agenda on the state’s struggle and interest in the Federation of Malaysia.

“We want the implementation of the federalism system to be more meaningful and valuable based on the Federal Constitution and the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63),” he said.

Hajiji said he would explain in greater detail the direction of Gagasan Rakyat on March 2.

He said the party’s organisational structure would also be established in all 73 state constituencies including the formation of its Wanita, Pemuda and Beliawanis wings.

According to Hajiji, the annual general meeting for the respective branches and divisions has been scheduled for July and September while the Annual Congress would be held in November.

He also announced the Supreme Council lineup with several more to be appointed soon.