Delegates at the first joint convention of Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) and Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (Sabah Star) sent a clear message to the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) leadership today - the coalition must go solo in the next state election.

Each time coalition chief Hajiji Noor mentioned GRS, the Hongkod Koisaan hall in Penampang would reverberate with chants of "solo" from the 5,000 PBS and Sabah Star members in attendance.

Earlier in his speech, Sabah Star president Jeffrey Kitingan framed the next election as a defining moment for the state’s political future, calling it a referendum on whether the state should...