Kitingan dismissed Umno Youth treasurer Naim Kurniawan Moktar’s claim outright, saying it was not for the Umno man to judge whether Hajiji had lost the trust of Sabahans.
“There is no such need for Hajiji to step down.
“Whether Hajiji faces a trust deficit over the purported scandal should be left for the court of public opinion to judge, not Naim,” the deputy chief minister told FMT.
Kitingan, Gabungan Rakyat Sabah’s deputy chairman, said calls for a top leader to step aside should only be made in exceptional cases, such as if that leader has been charged in court. It must also be made in good faith, he added.
He questioned Naim’s intentions, noting that his father, Sabah Umno chief Bung Moktar Radin, had previously led a failed coup against Hajiji.
On Monday, Naim repeated his call for Kitingan to replace Hajiji, claiming that the GRS chairman suffers from a trust deficit. He said Kitingan should step in to safeguard Sabah’s economy.
The state chapter’s youth wing had earlier demanded Hajiji’s resignation in the wake of an alleged mining scandal said to involve several of the state’s assemblymen.
On Saturday, Kitingan slammed Naim for suggesting he take over from Hajiji in the interim, saying such statements were uncalled for as they were based on unfounded allegations.
Last week, STAR threw its support behind Hajiji, with the party’s deputy information chief Ardino Diris accusing Umno of being the “hidden hand” behind the episode. Ardino said calls for the chief minister to step down were politically motivated.
Sabah Umno has since denied masterminding the “exposé”. - FMT
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