KOTA KINABALU: Assemblymen from Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) and Pakatan Harapan (PH), as well as five from Umno, have gathered for a meeting at chief minister Hajiji Noor’s official residence here.
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The elected representatives started arriving from 1.30pm. While the purpose of the meeting is unclear, it is understood that it involves a special state assembly sitting slated for tomorrow.
The political leaders are expected to discuss the ongoing political turmoil in Sabah.
Yesterday, Hajiji said he had the backing of 44 of the 79 assemblymen and had submitted their statutory declarations (SDs) to the governor the day before.
However, Sabah Barisan Nasional (BN) chief Bung Moktar Radin claimed the “game is still on”, saying the outcome of the turmoil will be known tonight when PH chairman Anwar Ibrahim and Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi come to Kota Kinabalu.
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Before the political turmoil, Hajiji was backed by 53 assemblymen – 29 from GRS, 17 from BN and seven from PH. Besides the 73 elected assemblymen, six were appointed by the ruling party.
On Friday, Sabah BN and Umno retracted their support for Hajiji, following speculation and reports of a coup attempt to oust the chief minister and for Bung to replace him.
It was previously speculated that Sabah Umno and Warisan would work together to form the state government.
Sabah PH has given Hajiji its backing while five Sabah Umno assemblymen have refused to be part of the move to oust the chief minister.
The five are Shahelmey Yahya (Tanjung Keramat), Jasni Daya (Pantai Dalit), James Ratib (Sugut), Yusof Yacob (Sindumin) and Arsad Bistari (Tempasuk).-FMT