TUARAN, Nov 24 — Caretaker chief minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor today dismissed Parti Warisan’s “Save Sabah” campaign slogan, saying the state only needs saving from “external threats” and not his Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) administration.

Speaking at a community event in Kiulu, Hajiji rejected the political rival’s campaign as a self-serving political gimmick and accused the former Warisan government of failing to make meaningful progress during its time in power.

“What is there to save? The only thing we need saving from is PTI (undocumented migrants),” he said. 

“They use this slogan to save themselves, not to save Sabah.”

The GRS chairman also pushed back against allegations that his administration is controlled by federal parties, calling the claims “a political scheme.”

Hajiji argued that a good relationship with Putrajaya is crucial for the state’s development.

“Sometimes with the prime minister, I speak up in meetings to bring Sabah’s interests,” he insisted.

“If we want to develop Sabah, we must have a good relationship with the federal government. The federal government administers the nation, so why shouldn’t we work together?” he asked.

He also took aim at the opposition for raising the recent mining scandal that has implicated several GRS leaders, dismissing the corruption allegations as baseless “rhetoric” from an opposition that has “run out of ideas.”

Hajiji was in Kiulu to campaign for the local GRS candidate, Datuk Joniston Bangkuai, expressing confidence that Bangkuai’s record of service would see him returned as the assemblyman.