KOTA KINABALU: Umno Youth continued its call for Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor to step aside and allow his deputy Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan to head an interim state government, says its national treasurer Naim Moktar said.
Naim said Kitingan, who serves as Deputy Chief Minister I and leads Sabah STAR, a key partner in the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) coalition government, should take the helm following a crisis of confidence triggered by corruption allegations linked to mineral licensing.
“Kitingan is an experienced politician who should be allowed to lead the interim government as a step towards restoring the credibility of the state administration,” Naim said in a Facebook post.
He noted that the ongoing allegations of irregularities in the issuance of mining prospecting licences have undermined public trust in the government’s “integrity, reputation, and credibility”.
Naim, who also heads the Kinabatangan Umno Youth division, expressed concerns about a "trust deficit" among Sabah’s people and investors.
He cited whistleblower videos allegedly implicating eight GRS assemblymen, including three ministers, in discussions with a businessman about mining licences. The videos, purportedly suggesting payoffs, have sparked public outrage since their release in early November.
The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has launched an investigation and has so far recorded statements from most of the implicated assemblymen. Officials from the state-owned Sabah Minerals Management Sdn Bhd (SMM), including its former chief executive officer, have also been questioned. The CEO had previously alleged that political considerations influenced the issuance of the prospecting licences.
The Star has reached out to Kitingan for his response to Naim’s statement.
Since the scandal emerged, Hajiji has maintained that the matter should be left to the MACC to investigate. He has denied any wrongdoing in the licence issuances. On Thursday (Dec 5), Hajiji accused certain groups of using the controversy to destabilise the GRS-led state government.
"The act of recording, editing, and disseminating videos was carried out with malicious intent," Hajiji said, adding that his government would not bow to such threats.
Naim, however, emphasised that Hajiji should prioritise the welfare of the people and the state’s economy over personal political interests, particularly as economists anticipate a global recession in 2025.
“Hajiji must face the reality that the release of these videos has tarnished Sabah’s image,” Naim said.
