KOTA KINABALU, Sept 27 -- A coalition government can be formed in Sabah even though the victorious Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) made up of Perikatan Nasional (PN), Barisan Nasional (BN) and Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) is yet to be registered as a coalition, according to an analyst.

Dr Romzi Ationg of Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) said the new government can be a coalition comprising the 17 PN, 14 BN, seven PBS and three independent assemblymen, making up 41 elected representatives in total.

As for the chief minister, he said: “Practically, it is the party (in the PN or BN) with the most number of seats that has the right to claim the chief minister’s post.

Datuk Hajiji Noor of PN-Bersatu and Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin of BN-Umno have been mentioned as the likely candidates to be the chief minister. 

Following the state election, leaders of PN, BN and PBS have been engaged in a series of meetings over the choice of chief minister.

This afternoon, leaders of PN, BN and PBS went to Istana Negeri.

Upon leaving Istana Negeri, Bung Moktar told reporters the Yang Dipertua Negeri, Tun Juhar Mahiruddin, had requested for time to decide on the candidate for chief minister.

-- BERNAMA