Hajiji claims has support of 44 Sabah assemblymen

KOTA KINABALU: Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) chairman Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor claims that he has obtained the support of 44 Sabah state assemblymen from GRS, Pakatan Harapan (PH) and Barisan Nasional (BN).

He said that with the support, the Sabah state government remained intact and he was still the Chief Minister.

"This means that the existing (state) government, which I lead, is still intact and strong and will continue to govern the state of Sabah," he told reporters here today.

Earlier in the afternoon, he attended an hour-long meeting with 44 Sabah assemblymen at the Sabah Chief Minister's Official Residence in Sri Gaya here.

Also present were Sabah PH chairman Datuk Christina Liew, United Progressive Kinabalu Organization (UPKO) vice president and Minister of Entrepreneurship Development and Cooperatives Ewon Benedick, Sabah Community Development and People's Welfare Minister Datuk Shahelmey Yahya (BN), and Sabah PAS secretary Aliakbar Gulasan.

Of the 44 assemblymen, 29 are believed to be from GRS, PH (7), BN (5), PAS (1), Parti Harapan Rakyat Sabah (1) and an Independent.

According to Hajiji, he had submitted the statutory declarations of all the assemblymen who supported him to Sabah Yang Dipertua Negeri Tun Juhar Mahiruddin at Istana Seri Kinabalu yesterday.

Commenting on the allegation that his position as Chief Minister was not in accordance with the Sabah State Constitution, Hajiji said: "With regard to the (state) constitution, whoever is not satisfied, they (they) can take it to court."

On the reshuffling of the state cabinet, he said it would be decided soon.

Meanwhile, Shahelmy said his decision to support the state government and Hajiji as Chief Minister at this point in time was to ensure Sabah's development could continue effectively for the sake of the people.

"The five of us (BN assemblymen) have retained our support. This is not the time for us to change governments or play politics, the people need us," he said.

Meanwhile, Sabah BN chairman Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin, when asked about Hajiji's claim, said: "Of course they got (the support of) 44 assemblymen, they took my people (BN assemblyman)," without wanting to comment further.

Bung Moktar said this when met by reporters after arriving from Kuala Lumpur at the Kota Kinabalu International Airport here today.

The Sabah UMNO chief also claimed that the Sabah Government no longer stood after BN withdrew its support on Jan 6.

Asked about the status of his own position as Deputy Chief Minister, he said: "I don't know."

"We are waiting for the Prime Minister (Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim) who will come tomorrow (to Sabah) to meet us (BN), Parti Warisan and GRS, then we will discuss it," he said.

On his meeting with BN chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi in Kuala Lumpur, he said they discussed the roadmap for Sabah BN and the current political situation in the state.

-- BERNAMA