Sabah PH assemblymen do not agree state assembly dissolved, support Hajiji

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Pakatan Harapan (PH) today stated that it does not agree that the State Legislative Assembly should be dissolved following the current political uncertainty in the state.

In a joint statement, all seven PH state assemblymen stressed that if the crisis was not dealt with immediately, it would lead to a hung assembly.

"In this regard, we would like to inform you that the seven assemblymen from Sabah PH are supporting the current Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor who is Sulaman assemblyman.

"This is in line with our principle to ensure political stability continues to be established in Sabah and not to engage in measures such as the 'Sheraton Move'," read the statement.

The joint statement was issued by Sabah PH chairman Datuk Christina Liew who is also Api-Api assemblyman, Sabah DAP chairman Datuk Frankie Poon (Tanjung Papat), Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Minister and United Progressive Kinabalu Organisation (UPKO) vice president Datuk Ewon Benedick (Kadamaian), Phoong Jin Zhe (Luyang), Jannie Lasimbang (Kapayan), Tan Lee Fatt (Likas) and Peto Galim (Inanam).

Expressing regret over the current situation, the seven assemblymen said that the main focus of the state should be to ensure the goals of helping the people, developing the economy and settling the unresolved demands of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) were realised, in line with the wishes of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

"We reiterate our stance that we do not support any effort to overthrow the government through backdoor means," read the statement.

All the assemblymen also suggested that the state government adopt the same model as the Federal government in forming a unity government in Sabah, in the event of a hung state assembly.

Yesterday, Sabah Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin who is also the State UMNO Liaison Body chief announced that UMNO and Sabah BN were withdrawing support for Hajiji as they had lost confidence in the latter's position as Chief Minister, and that there was a breach of an agreement between BN and Perikatan Nasional (PN).

Bung Moktar said BN and PN implemented an agreement to form the Sabah government after the state election in 2020, but Hajiji and other leaders of Sabah Bersatu, which is also a component of PN, left the party, causing the current state government to lose its legitimacy.

The Sabah state assembly has 79 assemblymen - 73 elected and six appointed.

With Parti Kesejahteraan Demokeratik Masyarakat (KDM), as well as UMNO and Sabah BN, retracting their support for Hajiji, the latter is believed to be left with the support of 38 assemblymen, namely 29 from GRS, PH (seven), Parti Harapan Rakyat Sabah (one) and an independent.

-- BERNAMA