KOTA KINABALU – Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) maintains that it still has the largest majority in the state assembly, its secretary-general Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun said.
There is no merit to the claim by Sabah Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin that GRS chairman Datuk Seri Hajiji Mohd Noor no longer had the numbers to remain as chief minister.
“There are more than enough majority assemblymen, and GRS is the largest political party in the Sabah legislative assembly.
“Therefore, there is no merit to Bung Moktar’s allegation that Hajiji has no locus standi (right of standing) to be Sabah’s chief minister,” he said in a statement last night after Sabah BN announced its exit from the GRS-led state government.
Masidi also refuted the claim that Hajiji along with 15 former Bersatu assemblymen are without any party after becoming direct members of GRS on December 10.
However, Masidi, who is Karanaan assemblyman, did not specify how many state lawmakers still support Hajiji, other than GRS’ existing 29 assemblymen.
Masidi said the head of state should also not be dragged into political schemes, disputes or power struggles. He also said the recent practice of bringing signed statutory declarations to the palace as evidence of government support by lawmakers is undesirable and should be discouraged.
Bung Moktar in announcing Sabah BN’s exit from the GRS-led government last night, said Hajiji no longer has legitimacy as chief minister as his position now contradicts the State Constitution Article 6(3) and Article 6(7).
Article 6(3) and Article 6(7) states that the chief minister must be the leader of a political party that commands the majority in the legislative assembly.
Bung Moktar said Hajiji, is in reality without a party, along with other former Bersatu assemblymen who quit Bersatu on December 10 to become “direct members” of the GRS coalition.
He also said Hajiji no longer has the support of the majority with BN’s departure from the state government last night.
Sabah’s assembly has 79 seats.
Of BN’s 18 assemblymen, Bung Moktar has said that five of them do not agree with pulling out from the GRS-led government, leaving BN with 13. Warisan has 19 assemblymen and KDM, which is also against Hajiji, has 3 seats. Along with an independent, Bung Moktar’s faction would have 36 seats.
This would be a tie with GRS, which sources told The Vibes would also have 36 seats comprising its 29 assemblymen, the five from Umno and lawmakers from smaller parties.
This makes Pakatan Harapan’s seven lawmakers the possible kingmakers, but the seven of them have issued statements to state their continued support for Hajiji so as to prioritise political stability. – The Vibes, January 7, 2023
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