Man of the hour: Hajiji (left) arriving at Sri Gaya, Kota Kinabalu, for a meeting with GRS party members yesterday. — Bernama
KOTA KINABALU: Stern action must be taken against five Sabah Barisan Nasional assemblymen who broke ranks with the state leadership over the pullout from the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) government, says a state party leader.
Sabah Umno communications director Ghazalie Ansing said the move by the five to back Chief Minister and GRS chairman Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor instead of Barisan was an act of betrayal.
“I regard the five as traitors who have already booked their tickets to leave Umno. As such, it is up to the party leadership’s wisdom to make a decision,” he added.
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“Stern action must be taken so that these assemblymen learn their lessons, including sacking them from the party if the need arises.”
The five assemblymen are Datuk Shahelmey Yahya (Tanjung Keramat assemblyman), Datuk Dr Yusof Yacob (Sindumin), Datuk Jasnih Daya (Pantai Dalit), Datuk Arshad Bistari (Tempasuk) and Datuk James Ratib (Sugut).
On Saturday, the quintet initially issued a statement publicly backing Hajiji to remain as chief minister following the political crisis in Sabah and calling for Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin to step down as Sabah Barisan chief for severing ties with GRS.
But on the same day, they retracted the call for Bung Moktar to resign, although they maintained their support for Hajiji, the GRS chairman.
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Towards this end, Ghazalie claimed the five had revealed their true colours by continuing to support Hajiji, further contending that GRS was using them.
He alleged that the Umno assemblymen were only looking after their own interests, pointing out that they had forgotten that the position they enjoyed now was due to the support of the people for Umno and Barisan.
“True leaders of the party will be loyal to the party’s decision because of unity, but these five are only puppets for the opposing party.
“They were willing to be used as pawns by rivals to hold on to power and the privileges enjoyed currently,” he said.
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Ghazalie claimed that before becoming Barisan assemblymen, these leaders had begged the party to give them a shot at contesting the elections but are now repaying the trust given to them by biting the hand that fed them.
Of the five, all contested under the Barisan logo in the 2020 Sabah snap election except for Yusof, who contested and won under a Parti Warisan ticket. He later ditched Warisan in 2021 before joining Sabah Barisan last May.
In a separate matter, the five Sabah Barisan assemblymen joined reps from Sabah Pakatan Harapan and GRS to gather at the Chief Minister’s official residence at Sri Gaya yesterday.
It is understood that they had gathered starting at 1pm, although the reason for the gathering is unclear.
This was ahead of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s visit to the state capital yesterday to speak to Sabah Barisan, GRS and Warisan about the current political crisis.
Hajiji told reporters on Sunday that he has the support of 44 assemblymen, four more than the 40 seats required for a simple majority in the 79-member state assembly.
The GRS chairman also claimed statutory declarations (SDs) had been submitted to Sabah Governor Tun Juhar Mahiruddin during a meeting on Saturday evening.
Out of the 44 assemblymen, he said, 29 were from GRS, seven from Sabah Pakatan, five from Barisan and one from PAS.
