KOTA KINABALU: Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor made a quip to reporters that they can apply for leave for the next “week or two” before any announcement is made on the dissolution of the Sabah legislative assembly.
“It will be a while before we dissolve (the assembly) ... you can take another one or two weeks’ leave,” Hajiji told reporters when asked if the dissolution of the assembly would be soon.
The Chief Minister gave the brief remarks when asked about the dissolution of the state assembly after the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of the Sabah Region’s Malaysian Building Academy Campus Beringgis in Papar district yesterday.
However, he declined to provide possible dates for the dissolution of the 16th Sabah Legislative Assembly, where the five-year term automatically ends on Nov 11, paving the way for an election.
Political circles predict that Hajiji would call for the election by mid-September, before or after Malaysia Day on Sept 16, and for the 17th state election to be held by early October.
Asked if the date of the state assembly dissolution would be after Malaysia Day, he said: “Just wait, we will call you.”
Hajiji, who leads the ruling Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS)-Pakatan Harapan coalition government, is negotiating with Pakatan on seat sharing under an electoral pact.
Pakatan has more or less finalised its electoral pact with Barisan Nasional with just a few overlapping seats to be ironed out.
Sabah Barisan, who worked with GRS to win the state government from Parti Warisan-Pakatan in the 2020 state election, is against working with GRS after their fallout in January 2023.
Warisan, which is a member of the Federal unity government, has remained in opposition at the state level and is contesting solo for the coming state polls.
