KOTA KINABALU, March 2 — Sebatik assemblyman Hassan Amir Gani today submitted a statutory declaration (SD) to revoke his pre-signed resignation letter that was also submitted by Parti Warisan Sabah to the State Assembly Speaker’s office today.
Sabah Assembly Speaker Datuk Seri Kadzim Yahya l confirmed that he received correspondence from both sides today and will meet with Sabah Attorney General (AG) Datuk Nor Asiah Mohd Yusof tomorrow to discuss the position of the Sebatik assemblyman.
“All I can tell you for now is that I received letters from both sides. I will need to discuss the matter with the state AG,” he said when contacted.
Hassan said he had personally met Kadzim at 11.45am today to hand over the SD, while Warisan secretary Datuk Loretto Padua Jr submitted the resignation at 12.15pm.
Hassan said he informed the Speaker that he had no intention of stepping down as Sebatik assemblyman.
Loretto Jr said that Hassan had taken an oath willingly last year because he was angry that party hoppers had triggered snap polls in Sabah.
Last February 25, first-time assemblyman Hassan told national news agency Bernama that he was leaving his party, Warisan, to support the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah state government.
The party yesterday released a video clip of him taken before the state elections last September, pledging to remain in Warisan throughout his term if he was elected, and agreeing to sign a resignation letter which could be used against him should he leave the party or be sacked, among other reasons.
Warisan president Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal said that the letter would soon be sent to the State Assembly, governor and Election Commission, adding that it should be considered valid as Hassan had signed it of his own free will.
However, lawyers said that such a pledge would not hold up in court as it curtailed Article 10 of the Federal Constitution that guarantees the right to freedom of association.
Hassan posted on his Facebook wall that he was “forced” to make the pledge or else he would not be named as a candidate.
