Muafakat Nasional Sabah chairman Jismit Japong (seated middle) and other committee members giving the thumbs down at the press conference in Kota Kinabalu on Thursday (Aug 29).
KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah Muafakat Nasional pro-tem committee has been dissolved with immediate effect, says its committee members.
"We have decided to resign from our positions and announce the dissolution of Muafakat Nasional Sabah with immediate effect," said its chairman Jismit Japong, representing the 32 committee members.
He said that the decision was reached unanimously by Sabah Muafakat Nasional committee members at a meeting on Wednesday (Aug 28) following a series of incidents that left them feeling unappreciated.
"When the Sabah branch was established two years ago, president (Tan Sri Annuar Musa) assured us full autonomy.
"However, the central leadership has neither consulted nor engaged in discussions on various issues, including the appointment of two Muafakat Nasional Sabah members to its Supreme Council," said Jismit on Thursday (Aug 29).
He added that the appointment contradicts the principles and concept of Muafakat Nasional, which emphasises joint discussions on matters related to the management and administration of the Sabah branch for the betterment of the organisation.
Jismit added that an official letter will be sent to the coalition's headquarters within two weeks to inform them of the dissolution.
"We will not back out from our decision. Unlike our counterparts who called for the resignation of the Prime Minister and Mentri Besar, we in Sabah are friendly to everybody. We are friends with the government of the day," he said.
Muafakat Nasional Sabah chairman Jismit Japong stressing a point at the press conference in Kota Kinabalu on Thursday (Aug 29).
Jismit added that they have also decided to skip dinner with Annuar, expressing their loss of confidence in his leadership.
"Our decision today is final, but if the central leadership requests that we reconsider, we will only do so if they honour their promises. We want full autonomy," he stressed.
On another development, Jismit said his new political party - Parti Tempatan Rakyat Sabah - is pending approval.
"Instead of focusing on national issues, we need to solve problems in our own state first. So, when we become a government, we hope to solve issues affecting the people of Sabah such as unemployment and poverty," he said.
