Bright minds: Hajiji (third from right) with the participants of the Sabah Students Convention at the Hongkod Koisaan KDCA Hall. — Bernama
KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah legislative assembly will be dissolved before its automatic dissolution on Nov 11 to make way for the state polls, says Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor.
The Chief Minister also said dissolution is not dependent on the weather situation.
Meteorologists forecast wet weather over most of Malaysia in October and November.
“It definitely will be soon; just be patient and wait.
“We must dissolve before (Nov 11), no matter what the weatherman says,” he told reporters after opening the Sabah Undergraduates Convention in Penampang near here yesterday.
Hajiji declined to say if he would call for polls in October.
Anticipation runs high on whether the Chief Minister will call for the state election soon after Malaysia Day (Sept 16) celebrations.
However, Sabah was hit by continuous rain from Sept 12-17 that left thousands displaced, homes destroyed and 13 killed in landslides.
The natural disaster put off any talk of immediate dissolution with Hajiji saying that the focus is on flood assistance and recovery.
Earlier in his speech at the event, Hajiji said Sabahans, especially the 970,000 young voters, would make the right choice in the upcoming 17th state polls.
He said the state election is crucial as it will determine the continuity of Sabah’s development under the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) government.
“The future of Sabah is in your hands. Do not waste this opportunity. Sabah cannot afford to be left behind any longer.
“We have great potential to become a developed and successful state. This is the time, this is the moment,” he said.
Hajiji also said the GRS government had proven its capability with a strong track record in various fields such as education, economy, welfare, investment and revenue management.
“Make the best choice – one that guarantees continuity of development, political stability and the well-being of the people.
“This election is our golden opportunity to choose a strong government, and most importantly, a government dominated by local parties.
“Let us not repeat past mistakes. Some claimed they wanted change, but the opposite happened. Development and progress stalled.
“Many projects were abandoned due to weak and poorly planned policies.
“In the end, we were the ones who suffered the consequences,” he said, adding that the state government had succeeded in placing Sabah on a strong economic track.
On the resolutions adopted by the convention, Hajiji requested that they be submitted to the state government as soon as possible for serious consideration.
Some 1,000 students attended the convention.
