Sabah BN breaks with GRS, paving way for leadership crisis

KOTA KINABALU – Sabah Barisan Nasional (BN) has officially withdrawn its cooperation with Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS), saying that Datuk Seri Hajiji Mohd Noor has lost his locus standi as the chief minister. 

Sabah Barisan Nasional chairman Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin said this after claiming that Hajiji, who is also the GRS chairman, had breached their agreement.

He cited the sacking of Datuk Seri Salleh Said Keruak as Qhazanah Sabah Bhd chairman and threat of a cabinet reshuffle without consulting his bloc as part of the ways Hajiji had broken their pact.

“With this, we have withdrawn our support to GRS,” said Bung Moktar.

He added further that Sabah BN never signed any pact with GRS, and had signed a pact with Perikatan Nasional when they decided to cooperate to form the state government in 2020.

“Hajiji also lost his legitimacy as chief minister after he decided to leave Bersatu and become a direct GRS member.

“We compel state Governor Tun Juhar Mahiruddin to check Hajiji’s legitimacy as chief minister,” he said.

According to him, Hajiji’s position as chief minister is already unconstitutional as he did not meet the required legal clout as stated under the state constitution's Article 6(3) and Article 6(7).

Bung Moktar said Hajiji had lost his legitimacy as he is partyless after leaving Bersatu.

When asked whether all the Sabah BN reps were in support of the move, Bung said at present only five out of 18 assemblymen are not aligned with the decision. 

However, he said that he is still talking with the others and they need to adhere to the move as this is a party decision. 

BN only had 17 assemblymen, with the addition of Segama assemblyman Datuk Mohamaddin Ketapi who has since joined the party.  

Datuk Shahelmy Yahya, who is Putatan MP and Tanjung Keramat assemblyman, was evidently absent from Bung Moktar’s presser tonight. 

The departure of BN from the ruling parties has left Hajiji with only 29 assemblymen in the government.  

Bung Moktar said BN can work with any other parties. 

Sabah BN’s decision comes barely 24 hours after a failed attempt to work with Warisan to usurp GRS out of power in the state. 

Towards this end, Bung Moktar urged the public to remain calm, saying BN will resolve this mess as quickly as possible. – The Vibes, January 6, 2022