KOTA KINABALU: Sindumin assemblyman Datuk Dr Yusof Yacob's support for the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) government from is welcome, says Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor (pic).
The Chief Minister – speaking after Dr Yusof quit Opposition Parti Warisan Sabah – said that it is the democratic right of the assemblyman to decide on his political direction.
“This the democratic right of every elected representative to decide on which side they want to serve,” he told reporters after launching the state-level National Sports Day here on Saturday (Oct 9).
He said that GRS thanks all elected representatives who support the state government's agenda.
“As such, we can now focus on unity and development for the people in Sabah,” he said when asked about Dr Yusuf's decision on Friday (Oct 9) to leave Warisan to become an independent assemblyman friendly to the GRS-led state government.
When announcing his decision to leave the party, Dr Yusof had told reporters that he would support both the ruling state government under Hajiji as well as the federal government under Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
Warisan, who won 23 seats in last year's Sept 26 state election, is left with 20 assemblymen with Yusof's quitting.
He is the second assemblyman to leave after Sebatik assemblyman Hassan A Gani Pg Amir left on Feb 25.
Another Warisan seat, Bugaya has been left vacant following the death of its incumbent Manis Mukah Mohd Darah, who passed away on Nov 17.
The GRS coalition of ten parties commands the support of 50 lawmakers in the 78-member state legislative assembly.
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