Unshaken by prospect of Umno-Warisan widely expected to work together at the next Sabah state assembly elections.
KOTA KINABALU: Chief Miniter Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Hajiji Haji Noor Hajiji is confident that the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) alliance with Pakatan Harapan will see the coalition retaining power, even if it meant taking on the combined forces of Pari Warisan and Umno.
According to Free Malaysia Today, the GRS chairman said Warisan not win in Tawau, Batu Sapi and Sandakan.
They are not strong. If we follow the political history of Sabah, Warisan did not receive the mandate of the people of Sabah.
“They formed the government (in 2018) because of defections. When Shafie dissolved the state assembly (to pave the way for state polls), he was chief minister yet he lost. if Warisan was strong, it would have won the elections,” Hajiji was quoted as saying.
In the 2020 state elections GRS won 38 seats in the 73-seat state assembly while Warisan won 29 seats (it is now left with 14 seats, after detection).
“Don’t worry. They have tried to rattle me many times but we have triumphed. The people have given us their trust and support. They want progress. They want political stability,” he said.
GRS heads a state government formed in 2020 with the backing of Barisan Nasional, Pakatan Harapan and minor parties.
Warisan and Umno are widely expected to team up for the elections in a bid to oust Hajiji after a failed attempt last year.
However, Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said last week that no decision has been made on any electoral pact.
In January last year, Sabah Umno chief Bung Moktar Radin announced the party was withdrawing support for Hajiji.
However, six Umno assemblymen pledged support for Hajiji, foiling the ouster attempt, in which Bung had support from Warisan and Parti Kesejahteraan Demokratik Malaysia.
GRS, Umno and Warisan are part of the unity government at the federal level but in Sabah some Umno assemblymen including Bung and Warisan representatives sit on the opposition bench in the state assembly.
“Whether the two parties want to form a pact, that’s their own business. Right now, GRS must carry out the mandate given to us by the people,” said Hajiji.
However, Hajiji said he never wanted any party to exit the state government, as he believed in a united Sabah.
“No one told them to leave the state government. They withdrew their support on their own. I say let it be.”
On his challenges since assuming office in 2020, Hajiji said he could not give in to every political party leader’s whims and fancies, and this led to politicking.
“I cannot do that as chief minister. Perhaps this is why some are unhappy that we are putting the rakyat’s interests first or because we all have to follow the rules,” he said.
Hajiji advised all party leaders in the state against excessive politicking, saying Sabahans were more concerned about policy issues and the unity of the state’s diverse people.
The next state elections must be held by Oct 2025. – 17 January 2024
