Sabah situation still under control, says Anwar


Anwar speaking to the media after the Pakatan Harapan presidential council meeting at the PKR headquarters on Jan 7, 2023. – AZLINA ABDULLAH/The Star

PETALING JAYA: The political situation in Sabah is still under control, says Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, adding that he has spoken to Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor.

"I have spoken to Hajiji and I was made to understand that Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has spoken to Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin and the situation is under control for now," Anwar told reporters after Pakatan Harapan's presidential council meeting on Saturday (Jan 7).

Anwar said he would look into the Sabah situation after returning from Jakarta, Indonesia, adding that he would also meet representatives from Sabah after his trip.

Anwar is set to leave for an official visit to Jakarta on Jan 8.

On Jan 6, Anwar said the political situation in Sabah was calm and there would be no change in the state government.

Earlier on Saturday, Sabah Pakatan's state assemblymen reiterated their support for Hajiji as Chief Minister after Sabah Barisan withdrew their support.

However, five Barisan assemblymen have publicly backed Hajiji as Chief Minister while calling for Bung Moktar to step down as Umno chairman.

Bung Moktar had announced the decision to pull the plug on the 27-month-old coalition state government after chairing a two-hour meeting at the Sabah Umno headquarters on Friday night.

The Deputy Chief Minister said Sabah Barisan had lost confidence in Hajiji and that he had no locus standi to remain as CM after he quit Bersatu to become a GRS direct member.

The decision to pull out, he added, involved 17 Sabah Umno assemblymen and Segama rep Datuk Mohamaddin Ketapi of Parti Bangsa Malaysia.

However, Bung Moktar admitted that at least five Sabah Umno assemblymen did not support the move.

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