KOTA KINABALU: A photo being shared online of Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor embracing Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin is raising questions on whether the two political figures have buried the hatchet over last January's political crisis in the state.
The photo was taken on Thursday (May 4), when Bung, the Sabah Umno chief, accompanied Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to visit Hajiji at the Chief Minister’s official residence at Seri Gaya following minor surgery to remove a gallstone.
However, Bung was quoted by Astro Awani as saying that it was nothing more than a sincere visit to Hajiji after his operation.
He said there was nothing political about the visit.
“There is nothing here. The president (Zahid) and I were just visiting the Chief Minister who is recuperating from his surgery,” he said.
Bung said the visit was made after the Sabah Umno Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebration.
This is the first known meeting between Bung and Hajiji after the failed attempted coup to take over the state from the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS)-led administration under Hajiji on Jan 6.
Other Umno leaders, including Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Dahlan, were also seen in the photos that are going around on social media.
During Zahid’s visit to Sabah on that day, he had urged politicians to stay united and work together for a stable government.
He had said that people were fed up with never-ending politicking.
