After the failed coup attempt against Sabah Chief Minister Hajiji Noor, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has made an effort to minimise the political unrest in the state.
According to Free Malaysia Today (FMT), Anwar told reporters after Friday prayers that he had spoken with Hajiji, Umno Sabah leader Bung Mokhtar Radin, Parti Warisan president Shafie Apdal and DAP secretary-general Loke Siew Fook about the issue.
“It looks like the situation is calm now and I don’t think there is any turmoil (in Sabah).
“I don’t see any (new) developments. I was just informed that there were some issues, and I asked the chief minister (Hajiji) to discuss it with (our) friends in Sabah,” Anwar said when asked about the matter in the state.
In the same development, FMT reported that Hajiji would be reshuffling his cabinet and is expected to axe Bung Mokhtar (above), who is also deputy chief minister, along with Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Jafry Ariffin.
The news portal quoted a source saying that not all BN leaders would be removed from Hajiji’s cabinet and reiterated that it wasn’t a “divorce with Sabah BN”.
The source also said that Hajiji intends on bringing Pakatan Harapan Sabah assemblypersons into his cabinet.
Yesterday, Umno Sabah assemblypersons gathered at the party’s headquarters in Kota Kinabalu and this prompted speculation about a coup with Warisan to remove Hajiji as Sabah chief minister.
However, the coup backfired as those behind it failed to acquire the backing of 40 assemblypersons.
Although FMT reported that six of Umno’s 17 assemblypersons refused to support the toppling of Hajiji’s GRS-led state government, Malaysiakini earlier reported that seven Umno assemblypersons held a meeting with the chief minister at his home last night.
Hajiji also held a meeting with GRS and Pakatan Harapan state assembly members during a new year's get-together, according to Berita Harian.
It was stated that at the meeting, Hajiji and every GRS and Harapan assemblyperson reaffirmed their allegiance to Hajiji.
All of the state assembly members from Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) and Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (Star) also pledged support for Hajiji yesterday.
There are 79 members in the Sabah legislative assembly - 73 elected and six appointed.
Sixty assemblypersons now support the Sabah administration, including 29 from GRS, 17 from BN, seven from Harapan, three from Parti Kesejahteraan Demokratik Masyarakat, and one each from Parti Bangsa Malaysia, Parti Harapan Rakyat Sabah and an Independent.
Nineteen of the state assemblypersons are from Warisan. - Mkini
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