Masiung Banah, vice-president of major GRS component Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah, nonetheless said that seat talks were still under way.

He added that some of GRS’s eight components had not submitted their list of proposed candidates, Daily Express reported.

“Seat allocation is still being negotiated. However, GRS should contest at least 53 seats, while PH will likely contest the remaining 20.

“The matter will be detailed in the upcoming GRS-PH presidential council meeting,” he was quoted as saying.

The Kuamut assemblyman added that he was not directly involved in GRS’s meetings, saying coalition chairman and Gagasan Rakyat president Hajiji Noor kept the party leadership updated on developments.

Last month, the unity government secretariat announced that Barisan Nasional (BN) and PH had agreed to work together to face the state election, following a meeting between their chairmen, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Anwar Ibrahim.

Hajiji threatened that GRS would go solo if this pact was finalised, but Anwar stepped in and called for PH-BN to work with the state coalition.

Sabah BN chief Bung Moktar Radin later said the coalition would not work with GRS in the state election but would consider cooperation only after the outcome of the polls.

Masiung had said this was also what GRS wanted.