'The game is still on', says Bung in face of Hajiji's claim

KOTA KINABALU: Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin has refused to concede defeat amid claims by Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor that he has the support from 44 assemblymen to stay on as Sabah Chief Minister.

"It's okay ... (the) game is still on," The Sabah Barisan Nasional chief said to reporters after arriving at the Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA) here from Kuala Lumpur on Sunday (Jan 8).

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"We are still waiting for the Prime Minister (Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim) to come (to Kota Kinabalu) around 8pm tomorrow (Jan 9) night.

"He is going to see us (Sabah Barisan), Parti Warisan and Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS). We will talk about it then," Bung Moktar said, adding Barisan chairman and Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi would also fly in at 7pm on Monday.

Hajiji had earlier told reporters outside his official residence in Sri Gaya here on Sunday that he has the support of 44 assemblymen, four more than the 40 seats needed for a simple majority in the 79-member state assembly.

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The GRS chairman also claimed that statutory declarations (SDs) have been submitted to Sabah Governor Tun Juhar Mahiruddin during a meeting on Saturday (Jan 7) evening.

He said the support of the 44 was from GRS, Pakatan Harapan and Barisan assemblymen.

"Out of the 44 assemblymen, a total of 29 were GRS members, Pakatan (seven), Barisan (five) and PAS, one.

On Hajiji's 44 assemblymen claim, Bung Moktar took a swipe at the Sulaman assemblymen.

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"Of course he's got 44 (assemblymen), he took all my men ... he 'corrupted' them," he said, referring to the five Sabah Umno assemblymen who disagreed with the party's move to sever ties with the GRS state government.

He also dismissed claims there would be new state sworn in soon.

On his position as Deputy Chief Minister, Bung Moktar said, as far as he was concerned, the current GRS government had already collapsed.

"This government was formed together (between GRS and Sabah Barisan). I did not quit (the deputy chief minister's position) but we (Sabah Barisan) pulled out (from the GRS government).

"So, that means we no longer have a chief minister," he contended.