Pakatan's seven reps call for Sabah unity govt amid political crisis

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Pakatan Harapan is proposing a unity government at the state level as Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor's 27-month old Gabungan Rakyat Sabah-Barisan Nasional government fell apart on Friday.

"We agree that a Sabah unity government can be formed as is the practice at the Federal level," the seven Pakatan assemblymen said in a joint statement on Saturday (Jan 7).

However, they reiterated their support for Sulaman assemblyman Hajiji as the Chief Minister after his government collapsed with Barisan pulling out its support.

"We reiterate our previous position that we do not support any effort to overthrow the government through the ‘back door’," they said.

At the same time, they said that "we do not agree for the state assembly to be dissolved if this crisis continues and the position of the state assembly for the time being continues to remain hung (with no party holding a majority).

"This is in line with our principle to ensure political stability continues to be stable in Sabah and not engage in measures like the Sheraton Move," they said.

The seven assemblymen are Datuk Christina Liew (PKR-Api Api), Datuk Poon Fung Ming (DAP -Tanjung Papat), Datuk Ewon Benedick (Upko-Kadamaian), Phoong Jin Zhe (DAP-Luyang), Jannie Lasimbang (DAP-Kapayan), Tan Lee Fatt (DAP-Likas) and Peto Galim (PKR-Inanam).

They said that they feel sorry for Sabah as it once again faces a political crisis that should not have happened.

" Our main focus should be to ensure that the goal of our struggle is to help the people and develop the economy and to work together to ensure that the MA63 struggle is realised in line with the wishes of YAB Prime Minister.

" We pray that the political turmoil will end in the near future and the well-being of the people of Sabah will continue to be defended with this support," he added.