GABUNGAN Rakyat Sabah (GRS) has urged Parti Warisan (Warisan) to provide explanations over a series of controversial decisions made during its administration in 2018, highlighting constitutional amendments and governance issues that the coalition describes as politically motivated.
GRS Deputy Secretary-General Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali criticised Warisan for its 2018 move to remove the term limit for the Yang di-Pertua Negeri (TYT) Sabah.
Prior to the amendment, Article 2(3) of the Sabah Constitution restricted the TYT to a maximum of two terms, or eight years.
"Unfortunately, Warisan, under its slogan ‘Sabah Ubah’, abolished Article 2, Clause (3) of the Sabah Constitution, effectively removing the term limit for the appointment of the Yang di-Pertua Negeri (TYT)," Armizan said in a video statement posted online.
"This constitutional amendment, made without a solid basis, raises many questions, with some parties perceiving it as a political move, a gesture of gratitude towards the TYT."
He further questioned the circumstances surrounding political defections that allowed Warisan to assume power after the 2018 state election, despite the incumbent Chief Minister initially holding a majority of 31 out of 60 state assembly seats.
"This incident has become the basis for speculation that the removal of the TYT’s term limit was a gesture of thanks. Whether true or not, only Mohd Shafie knows the rationale and the urgent need for this state constitutional amendment," Armizan said.
He accused Warisan of hypocrisy, noting that while the party publicly condemned party-hopping, it in fact relied on defections to secure the Chief Ministership.
Highlighting the importance of dispersing political power, Armizan pointed to GRS’s own proposals for governance reform.
"Clearly, by setting term limits on leadership, it helps reduce concentration and prevents the centralisation of power when a leadership that has been in place for too long tends to control all institutions," he said.
The GRS-led Cabinet, he added, had agreed in meetings on 12 December 2023 and 15 January 2024 to table a constitutional amendment setting a two-term limit for the Sabah Chief Minister, capped at ten consecutive years.
The reform will be brought to the State Legislative Assembly once GRS secures a new mandate, requiring a two-thirds majority for passage.
Armizan added Warisan’s 2018 reforms primarily served party interests rather than the public, leaving lasting questions over the rationale and timing of the amendments.
"What was the justification for removing the TYT’s term limit? How did it serve the people? Or was it done to benefit specific individuals?" he asked, calling on Mohd Shafie to address the concerns openly. - November 28, 2025
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