KUALA LUMPUR – A unity government for Sabah is the best option for the state which would otherwise continue to see further political turmoil, an analyst said.
The proposal by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is also a way to ensure that Sabah is in step with the federal government – a unity government with political coalitions working together in Putrajaya – even though they are at odds with each other in the east Malaysian state, said political analyst Awang Azman Awang Pawi.
“Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) is now running the state alone. I think Sabah Barisan Nasional (BN) and Warisan are in agreement with the proposal for a unity government as it will be in step with the federal government.
“Sabah should also be administered by a unity government involving the participation of all political parties.
“If the political turmoil in the state is to end, Hajiji needs to comply with the prime minister’s proposal,” Awang Azman told Getaran, the Vibes’ sister portal. He was referring to Sabah chief minister and GRS chairman Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor.
Political turmoil in Sabah erupted last week when several Sabah BN assemblymen led by state BN chairman Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin pulled their support from the GRS-led government and Hajiji as chief minister.
Bung said the withdrawal was because Hajiji violated GRS’ pact with Sabah BN when both joined forces to form the state government after the 2020 state elections. These “violations” included the termination of BN assemblymen appointed as heads of state government-linked companies.
Bung had also questioned Hajiji’s legitimacy as chief minister after he resigned from Bersatu along with other former party assemblymen to become direct GRS members. This, according to Bung, made Hajiji “partyless” and ineligible to be chief minister in accordance with the Sabah constitution which states that the head of the state government must also be the head of a political party with the majority support of assemblymen.
The speculation over Bung’s actions was that Sabah BN and Warisan would tie up to form a new state government.
Anwar proposed a unity government for the state on Monday night after returning from an official visit to Jakarta, Indonesia, when he met with political leaders there over the crisis.
The unity government proposal had also been mooted earlier during the crisis by seven Sabah Pakatan Harapan (PH) assemblymen who stated their continued support for Hajiji.
Staged drama?
However, Awang Azman described the entire episode as “drama” – suggesting that it was a strategy to create a unity government in Sabah all along.
The analyst dismissed notions that showed BN chairman Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi as losing control of his coalition and Umno – instead, that there was a “hidden goal” to push for a unity government.
“The crisis looked tumultuous with Sabah BN and Warisan creating what seemed to be ‘drama’. And then finally, the boss from Kuala Lumpur, Anwar, comes in to propose a unity government that would definitely involve BN and his coalition, Pakatan Harapan (PH).
“So I think this was a political strategy to ensure that Sabah forms a unity government like the one in Putrajaya,” he added.
Meanwhile, Nusantara Strategic Research Academy (NASR) senior fellow, Azmi Hassan believes that if a unity government can be formed in Sabah, it will be good for Malaysia’s political maturity following the formation of a unity government at the federal level.
“It shows a good example that the country’s politicians are willing to put aside differences and admit previous mistakes for the good of the people, for the sake of stability and for the interests of the state.”
Azmi also felt that Anwar’s proposal for a unity government was more aimed at Warisan because GRS and Sabah BN had shown they could work together previously despite their disagreements.
“If Warisan president Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal accepts the proposal and agrees to form one with GRS and BH (and PH), then it will be a true unity government,” he said.
Anwar, however, had also said the unity government proposal was also just advice that he could not force on Sabah – and it is now up to Hajiji as chief minister to do so to end the state’s political crisis.
Sabah’s assembly has 79 seats, and the simple majority needed to form a government is 40.
GRS is the coalition with the most seats at 29, Warisan has 19, BN has 18 (although five assemblymen had disagreed with Bung’s move to pull support from Hajiji), PH has seven and Kesahteraan Demokrasi Masyarakat has three – while the remaining seats are held by a smaller party and an independent. – The Vibes, January 11, 2023
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