KOTA KINABALU – The five Sabah Barisan Nasional (BN) assemblymen who oppose the party’s move to topple the state government are now pushing for Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin to resign as its chief.
They said Bung Moktar’s action has tarnished the coalition’s good name.
“We were shocked by actions taken by several parties, especially the Sabah Umno liaison chairman.
“Like what Sabahans aspire, we want the existing political stability to be maintained, and reject any attempt or action by any parties that want to create chaos to the people,” they said in a joint statement today.
The five assemblymen are Datuk Shahelmey Yahya (Tg Keramat), Datuk Jasnih Daya (Pantai Dalit), Datuk James Ratib (Sugut), Datuk Yusuf Yacob (Sindumin), and Datuk Mohd Arsad Bistari (Tempasuk).
They also reiterated their undivided support for Datuk Seri Hajiji Mohd Noor as the legitimate Sabah chief minister.
Bung Moktar is also Sabah deputy chief minister, state works minister, Umno Supreme Council member as well as Lamag assemblyman and Kinabatangan MP.
Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) currently has the support of 34 assemblymen – 29 from their own ranks plus five from BN who disagreed with Bung’s decision to exit the GRS-BN pact.
Sabah’s assembly has 79 seats, and the simple majority needed to form a government is 40.
GRS now has the support of its own 29 assemblymen plus the five from BN who supposedly disagree, giving it a total of at least 34 seats.
Sources have told The Vibes GRS could garner up to 36 seats from assemblymen from smaller parties, making it tie with the 36 seats across the aisle from Bung’s 13, Warisan’s 19, KDM’s three and an independent.
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
