Sabah PH denies backing efforts to oust Hajiji

January 7, 2023

Sabah PH denies backing efforts to oust Hajiji

PETALING JAYA: Sabah Pakatan Harapan (PH) has denied a news report claiming that it had pulled out of an alleged failed attempt to oust Hajiji Noor as chief minister at the eleventh hour.

The report yesterday quoted a source as saying Sabah PH’s seven assemblymen had initially agreed to purported plans to topple the Hajiji-led state government but then decided to throw their support behind the chief minister.

The source also claimed that the seven were now offering their support to Hajiji in exchange for ministerial positions in his reshuffled Cabinet.

In a joint statement last night, the seven Sabah PH assemblymen said such claims were not true, defamatory and aimed at discrediting Sabah PH.

“Sabah PH has never agreed or given its support to any party to carry out a move to establish a new, back door government.

“It prioritises political stability, the economy, and the welfare of the people of Sabah, not positions and power,” they said.

DISYORKAN UNTUK ANDA :

The seven are Christina Liew (PKR), Frankie Poon (DAP), Ewon Benedick (Upko), Jannie Lasimbang (DAP), Phoong Jin Zhe (DAP), Tan Lee Fatt (DAP) and Peto Galim (PKR).

On Thursday, the seven had reaffirmed their support for Hajiji amid rumours of an attempt to topple his administration. Two months ago, the seven agreed to back Hajiji until the end of his administration’s term in 2025.

Last night, Sabah Barisan Nasional (BN) and Umno retracted their support for Hajiji on the grounds he violated a pact with BN, Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) and Perikatan Nasional (PN) after the state elections in September 2020.

State BN chairman Bung Moktar Radin said the BN-Umno decision left Hajiji without a majority in the state assembly, adding that he “is no longer fit to be the chief minister”.

However, Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) secretary-general Masidi Manjun insisted that the coalition continues to hold the majority as six Sabah Umno representatives did not agree with Bung Moktar’s decision to withdraw support for Hajiji.

GRS, led by Hajiji, has 29 seats in the state assembly. A simple majority of 40 seats in the 79-member state assembly is needed to form a new government.