MEMBERS of Parliament from Sabah and Sarawak will never initiate any move to topple the unity government unless the national political situation forces them to do so.
According to former deputy finance minister Datuk Yamani Hafez Musa, the Borneo bloc will remain loyal to the Unity Government if the support in Peninsular Malaysia remains unchanged.
"This is despite rumours of significant support from MPs from Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS), Umno and Parti Warisan (Warisan) in Sabah for the Dubai Move," he said as reported by Sinar Daily.
However, if support for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim diminishes, the former Sipitang MP said, there is a possibility the Borneo bloc that is behind him now may shift their support towards the establishment of a new government.
Yamani is the son of former Sabah Chief Minister Tan Sri Musa Aman and member of the Gagasan Rakyat , a component of the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) coalition which is ruling over Sabah.
"Whether or not the Dubai Move materialises depends on the decision of Sabah and Sarawak MPs.
"Normally, Sabah MPs would follow the decision taken by their Sarawak counterparts through the understanding of the Borneo bloc.
"I believe this political bloc will never trigger any movement to overthrow the government on their own accord," he said.
He said the Borneo bloc will continue to support the existing government unless the number of MPs supporting the Unity Government decreases with Barisan Nasional (BN) deciding to switch support.
Yamani was responding to claims by Perikatan Nasional (PN) election director Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor that the opposition had sufficient support of MPs to enable it to take over the administration of the country.
On January 7, Sanusi, a PAS leader and Kedah mentri besar, had claimed that the opposition coalition has enough statutory declarations (SDs) from MPs in the Dewan Rakyat to topple the Unity Government.
He however did not provide any specific details such as names of the lawmakers and the exact number of SDs signed in support of PN.
"They are all enough. Just wait for the day," he was quoted as telling reporters at an event in Kuala Nerang, Kedah.
In a dialogue session with senior editors on December 24, Anwar had stressed that any attempt to change the government would not be possible without support from Sarawak and Sabah.
He said that that the ruling parties in Sarawak and Sabah, respectively GPS and GRS, and other components contributing to the Unity Government were solidly behind his administration.
He had also said that GPS leader Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg, who is the premier of Sarawak, told him the day before that there had been attempts to entice him to swing to the other side.
Johari had met Anwar at Seri Perdana in Putrajaya on December 23. He gave an assurance that GPS would not entertain any move to replace the current federal government.
A few days later in December 29, Community Communications Department (J-Kom) deputy director-general Datuk Ismail Yusop said that the Dubai Move cropped up when certain PN leaders were holidaying in the UAE recently.
He claimed that a meeting took place in the country’s main city of Dubai to discuss specific duties for 'officers' responsible for identifying MPs who can be influenced to shift support to the opposition.
The intention was purportedly to set up a government through backdoor means, he added. – The Vibes, January 10, 2024
