KOTA KINABALU – The Sindumin state assembly seat has not fallen vacant following the departure of its assemblyman Datuk Yusof Yacob from Warisan.
Sabah Speaker Datuk Kadzim Yahya in a statement today said Yusof remains the legitimate assemblyman for the Sindumin seat, and that he has submitted a statutory declaration revoking all pledges made with Warisan before the state election last year.
He also noted receiving a legal letter from a law firm appointed by Warisan, which included a pre-signed resignation letter to vacate the seat in the event he leaves the party.
“Yusof has categorically denied the purported letter of resignation from the elected post.
“On October 16, Yusof submitted another statutory declaration, declaring that inter alia – that he had never signed the purported resignation letter dated October 8 as submitted by the legal firm, and that he had resigned from his seat via the resignation letter.
“I have received three documents from Yusof and two documents from Warisan or its agent,” said Kadzim, adding that the law as it now stands is similar to the case of the Sebatik assemblyman.
Kadzim had declared the pre-signed resignation letter from Hassan A. Gani Pg Amir as ineffective, adding that Hassan himself can submit his own resignation letter as stated in the Sabah constitution.
“The letter submitted by Warisan secretary-general Datuk Loretto Padua yesterday is rendered ineffective. Existing laws do not accept pre-signed and dateless letters.
“The date stamped in the letter provided by Padua is illogical. If the Sebatik assemblyman had signed the letter, why did he not put the date at the time of signing?” he said.
On October 8, Yusof announced his departure from Warisan at a press conference, saying he could do little being in the opposition – especially when it comes to resolving issues in his constituency.
Yusof is the second assemblyman to leave Warisan this year after Sebatik’s Hassan quit to become an independent on February 25. – The Vibes, October 25, 2021
