It’s not the issue of SD, but Anti-Party Hopping Act, says Shafie

09 Jan 2023 04:00pm

Warisan president Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal maintains his stance in urging GRS chairman Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor to follow the Sabah State Constitution regarding his position as Sabah Chief Minister.

KOTA KINABALU - Parti Warisan (Warisan) president Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal maintains his stance in urging Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) chairman Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor to follow the Sabah State Constitution regarding his position as Sabah Chief Minister.

He said the claim of support from 44 assemblymen obtained by Hajiji did not need to be presented.

“If he had the numbers, we also have numbers. So, let’s not discuss numbers, the numbers he gained from Warisan (former Warisan assemblymen), Umno were merely numbers.

“Actually, there is no need for it. According to the Constitution, the party that gained the majority was Warisan.

“We have 32 (State Legislative Assemblies) contesting, Warisan has 29 in 2019 and it decreased to 19 (seats),” he told reporters after a courtesy visit from the Japan’s Ambassador to Malaysia Takahashi Katsuhiko at the former's residence here, today.

He was commenting on Hajiji’s claims on Sunday that he had the support of 44 assemblymen in which a Statutory Declaration (SD) was sent to the Sabah Yang Dipertua Tun Juhar Mahiruddin.

He said it was not related to the number of support or the SD obtained, but the Anti-Party Hopping Act should be enforced in the state.

“When I was the chief minister then, we brought two thirds of the State Legislative Assembly confidence and then came the others and bought my people and I was forced to dissolve the State Legislative Assembly.

“There are laws, if we don’t follow the Constitution, this kind of situation will happen in our country, that’s why we introduced the Anti-Party Hopping Act,” he said.

Asked regarding the meeting with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim with the party leaders in the state, he said all parties including him have made a statement regarding the latest political situation.

“We will wait for him to come, we will hear what he wants to say to see how we will unravel the current political scenario.

“I have made a statement and other parties have done so as well,” he said.