Restore provision that allows for minority state govt in Sabah, says Leiking

 

Warisan won the most seats in the 2020 Sabah state election, but the GRS coalition led by Hajiji Noor formed the government with 41 seats. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA: The recently repealed Article 6(7) of the Sabah constitution should be reinstated as the clause allows for the formation of a minority state government, says a Warisan leader.

Warisan deputy president Darell Leiking said the provision allowed the governor to appoint the leader of the party with the most seats as chief minister, even if no simple majority has been attained on the floor of the state assembly.

This allows the party that wins the most seats to lead the state government and invite others to join the administration later, he said.

If the Federal Constitution had a similar clause, Leiking said, Anwar Ibrahim would have been able to form a minority government immediately after the 15th general election (GE15) without needing to work with other coalitions to first secure a simple majority.

“Article 6(7) clearly states that the leader of the party that contested in an election and has the most seats would be the chief minister.

“If the same clause was in the Federal Constitution, all the Yang di-Pertuan Agong would have needed to do is ensure that the person who fulfils Article 6(7) becomes the prime minister.

“From there, (the prime minister) would have then invited the heads of other political parties to join the government,” the Moyog assemblyman told FMT.

The former federal minister voiced his concern that the next Sabah election could see intense horse-trading after polling day if no party secures a simple majority of 40 seats in the state assembly.

Leiking said this was because no party would be able to form the state government without securing a simple majority on the floor of the state assembly.

He added that the reinstatement of the repealed article will be a part of Warisan’s manifesto for the next state election.

Warisan won 29 seats in the 2020 Sabah state election, but the Hajiji Noor-led Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) coalition formed the government with 41 seats.

The GRS government comprised Perikatan Nasional (PN), Barisan Nasional (BN), Parti Bersatu Sabah, and Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (STAR) then.

Warisan had contended that it should have formed the state government with party president Shafie Apdal as chief minister since they were the single party that won the largest number of seats at the election.

Last Friday, the Sabah state assembly passed the anti-hopping bill but repealed Article 6(7) from the state constitution. While the anti-hopping bill was unanimously passed, Warisan voted against the repeal.

Explaining the repeal, chief minister Hajiji Noor said that Article 6(7) was inconsistent with Article 6(3), which states that the chief minister must command the majority of the state assembly. - FMT