Sabah Barisan Nasional-Umno was not attempting to overthrow the state government spearheaded by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor, says Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin.
“Our purpose was to correct the political direction for the people so that Sabah can become a developed state,” he said in a statement on Friday (Jan 13).
According to him, toppling a government is not the same as forming one.
“To depose (menggulingkan) means to destroy (membinasakan), so that is a different definition. We were not overthrowing (the government),” claimed the Lamag assemblyman.
Bung Moktar said what Sabah Barisan-Umno wanted to achieve was for Sabahans to obtain their rightful place in line with the unity Federal Government that was formed after the 15th General Election (GE15).
The political crisis in Sabah started when Bung Moktar led a move by Sabah Barisan to withdraw support for the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) government on Jan 6.
Hajiji eventually held on to the Chief Minister’s position after mustering the support of 44 assemblymen, including five Sabah Umno assemblymen who went against the move.
However, Bung Moktar said the political turmoil in Sabah still persists, even if things appear to have cooled off.
“The turmoil remains because the formation of the state government was initially between Umno and Perikatan Nasional,” he said, referring to the deal struck after the 2020 state election.
On the quintet of Sabah Umno dissidents, Bung Moktar said their fates would be decided soon.
He added that they had yet to refer them to the Umno disciplinary board as certain processes need to be completed first.
Nonetheless, he said, their move to revolt against the move has not jeopardised Sabah Umno’s position.
He said only one of the dissidents held a leadership role at the divisional level while the rest are just ordinary members.
The five reps are Datuk Shahelmey Yahya (Tanjung Keramat assemblyman), Datuk Dr Yusof Yacob (Sindumin), Datuk Jasnih Daya (Pantai Dalit), Datuk Arshad Bistari (Tempasuk) and Datuk James Ratib (Sugut).
Shahelmey has since been appointed as Deputy Chief Minister III as well as Sabah Works Minister in Hajiji’s reshuffled state Cabinet, while Ratib, formerly an assistant minister, was elevated as the Community Development and People’s Well-being Minister.
Yusof was also on Friday appointed as chairman of the state investment arm Qhazanah Sabah Berhad while there has been no announcement over Jasnih who held the state Assistant Finance Minister’s position. – The Star