Kurup said PBRS is gearing up its election machinery while remaining committed to open discussion among BN partners on seat allocations.

Many discussions had been held among the component parties but no formal meeting had taken place to finalise the seat allocations, he said, according to The Borneo Post.

He declined to predict when the negotiations would be concluded, due to the uncertainty surrounding the election date. He said rumours point to elections being held “in July or August this year”.

“We are prepared, but we are still in the consultation stage. We leave it to the central leadership because discussions will be held at that level on the coalition and seat-sharing formula,” Kurup was quoted as saying.

He said PBRS’s priority as a local party is to see the establishment of a stable government at both the state and national levels.

The term of the current Sabah state assembly is due to expire on Nov 11, and elections must be held within 60 days, unless the assembly is dissolved earlier.