Sabah UMNO rep Shahelmey leaving it to Supreme Council to decide his position

KOTA KINABALU: Tanjung Keramat state assemblyman Datuk Shahelmey Yahya is leaving it to the UMNO Supreme Council to decide his position in the party for joining the Sabah Cabinet against the wishes of the state party leadership.

Shahelmey said he had taken note of Sabah Barisan Nasional (BN) and UMNO chairman Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin's statement that he was not representing UMNO in the new state Cabinet.

"That is his (Bung Moktar) statement, (but) we will leave it to the top management of central UMNO to handle this issue," he told reporters after attending a briefing at the Works Ministry here today.

Yesterday, Bung Moktar, who had earlier withdrawn Sabah BN's support for Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor, said the two UMNO assemblymen appointed to the new Cabinet did not represent UMNO.

The two are Shahelmey, who was made Deputy Chief Minister III and Works Minister, the portfolio held by Bung Moktar before the reshuffle, and Sugut assemblyman Datuk James Ratib, who is now state Community Development and People's Well-being Minister.

Shahelmey said state Cabinet appointments were the prerogative of the Chief Minister and the legitimacy of the new Cabinet should not be questioned.

According to him, Hajiji commands the support of 44 of the 79 assemblymen and has the blessings of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to remain as Chief Minister.

"The special Sabah State Assembly sitting on Tuesday also passed a bill on gas supply and this showed that the Chief Minister has (majority) support," he added.

Yesterday, Hajiji announced the new Cabinet comprising seven assemblymen from Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS), and two assemblymen each from BN and Pakatan Harapan (PH).

The reshuffle also saw Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (STAR) president Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan taking over as Deputy Chief Minister I, replacing Bung Moktar, who was dropped from the Cabinet.

-- BERNAMA