Sabah CM Hajiji claims support of 44 assemblymen

Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) chairman Hajiji Noor claims to have the support of 44 state assemblymen from GRS, Pakatan Harapan (PH) and Barisan Nasional (BN).

He said that with this support, the Sabah government remained intact and he was still the chief minister.

"This means that the existing (state) government which I lead is still intact and strong, and will continue to govern the state of Sabah," he told reporters in Kota Kinabalu yesterday.

He had earlier attended an hour-long meeting with 44 Sabah assemblymen at the Sabah chief minister's official residence in Sri Gaya.

Also present were Sabah PH chairman Christina Liew, United Progressive Kinabalu Organization (Upko) vice-president and entrepreneurship development and cooperatives minister Ewon Benedick, Sabah Community Development and People's Welfare Minister Shahelmey Yahya (BN), and Sabah PAS secretary Aliakbar Gulasan.

Of the 44 assemblymen, 29 are believed to be from GRS, seven from PH, five from BN, one from PAS, one from Parti Harapan Rakyat Sabah and one from the independent bloc.

Hajiji said he had submitted the statutory declarations of the assemblymen who support him to Sabah Yang Dipertua Negeri Juhar Mahiruddin at Istana Seri Kinabalu on Jan 7.

On the allegation that his position as chief minister was not in accordance with the Sabah state constitution, Hajiji said: "With regard to the (state) constitution, whoever is not satisfied, they (they) can take it to court."

On the reshuffling of the state cabinet, he said it would be decided soon.

Meanwhile, Shahelmy said his decision to support the state government and Hajiji as chief minister was to ensure that Sabah's development could continue effectively for the sake of the people.

"The five of us (BN assemblymen) have retained our support. This is not the time for us to change governments or play politics, the people need us," he said.

Meanwhile, Sabah BN chairman Bung Moktar Radin, when asked about Hajiji's claim upon his arrival from Kuala Lumpur, said: "Of course they got (the support of) 44 assemblymen, they took my people (BN assemblyman)." He made no further comment. 

The Sabah Umno chief also claimed that the Sabah government no longer stood after BN withdrew its support on Jan 6.

Asked about the status of his own position as deputy chief minister, he said: "I don't know."

"We are waiting for the prime minister (Anwar Ibrahim) who will come tomorrow (to Sabah) to meet us (BN), Warisan and GRS, then we will discuss it," he said.

On his meeting with BN chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi in Kuala Lumpur, he said they had discussed the roadmap for Sabah BN and the current political situation in the state.