Salleh, currently the Usukan assemblyman, said this in conjunction with the first anniversary of the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) government.

“On Nov 1, we will celebrate 140 years of Sabah’s governance as a state. According to history, on Nov 1, 1881, the North Borneo Company first received the British Royal Charter to administer Sabah or North Borneo as it was known then,” he said in a Facebook post, adding that in 1981, the people of Sabah did celebrate 100 years of this history.

In reflection, Salleh said, Sabah had seen “several types of governments all with their own ups and downs”.

“Thus, in conjunction with the 1st anniversary of the GRS government, I take this opportunity to remind myself and my colleagues that we must continue to improve ourselves and be free to fight for Sabah’s own direction, interest and future within the context of the federation of Malaysia,” he said.

GRS took over the Sabah government from Warisan Plus in the state election on Sept 26, 2020. It consists of Perikatan Nasional, Barisan Nasional and Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS).

Of the 38 seats won by GRS, 17 were secured by PN, 14 by BN and seven by PBS.

Warisan Plus won 29 seats while its allies PKR won two and Upko one. The three remaining seats went to independent candidates but they are understood to be siding with GRS.