Next in line?: There is speculation that Musa (left) will take over from Juhar.
KOTA KINABALU: Amid speculation that former chief minister Tan Sri Musa Aman will be Sabah’s 11th Yang diPertua Negeri, the state will know the final outcome next Tuesday.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajji Noor has not given any official indication on the state’s choice for the post held by Tun Juhar Mahiruddin, whose term of office ends on Dec 31.
According to officials, the King is scheduled to hand over a letter of appointment to the incoming Yang di-Pertua Negeri in a simple ceremony at Istana Negara on Tuesday.
The name of the next Yang diPertua Negeri has been kept a closely guarded secret as it is decided by the King on the Chief Minister’s advice.
The 71-year-old Juhar, who was first appointed to the post on Jan 1, 2011, is the longest-serving Governor who held office for three full terms (each term is four years).
He was given a two-year extension at the end of his third term from Jan 1, 2023.
It learned that a final decision about the appointment was made on Dec 9.
Apart from Musa Aman’s name being discussed, it included whether to extend the term of the incumbent for another two years.
The Constitutional office has always been the focal point of public interest throughout Sabah’s storied political history of power grabs and political dramas.
The Governor’s term was limited to two terms but in 2019, the state government, under the Parti Warisan-Pakatan Harapan administration, amended the state Constitution to remove the number of terms a Governor can hold the post.
During his term, Juhar has faced several legal challenges over his decisions on the appointment of Chief Minister after the 2018 General Election and September 2020 decision to allow for the dissolution of the state assembly to pave the way for snap elections.
These decisions were upheld by the courts after Musa had instituted legal proceedings.
Musa had challenged his removal as chief minister 48 hours after being sworn in following the 2018 state election and was replaced by Warisan president Datuk Mohd Shafie Apdal.
In September 2020, Shafie called for a snap election amid a move by Musa to garner back his majority in the state assembly just months after corruption charges were dropped against him.
The political moves came with changing federal politics as Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin became prime minister in 2020 during the Sheraton Move that came in the wake of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad resigning as prime minister.
The 73-year-old Musa Aman, who did not contest in the 2020 state polls, has since taken a political backseat and kept a low profile, but remains an Umno member.
