KOTA KINABALU, Jan 7 — Parti Kesejahteraan Demokratik Masyarakat (PKDM) Sabah appears to be siding with efforts to topple the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) government following Sabah Barisan Nasional’s (BN) bombshell announcement that it was breaking their partnership agreement late last night.
Its president Datuk Peter Anthony said that Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor no longer commands the majority of the 79-seat state assembly, and according to the state Constitution, also had no locus standi to hold the position as he was not the leader of the party with the most seats in the House.
However, PKDM, which has three seats in the state assembly — Melalap (Peter), Limbahau (Juil Nuatim) and Bandau (Datuk Wetrom Bahanda) — did not say who they were supporting as the next chief minister.
“Under Section 7(1) of the State Constitution, Hajiji has to resign immediately.
“We will leave it to the wisdom and discretion of the Head of State Tun Juhar Mahiruddin to decide on the appointment of a new chief minister in accordance with the Constitution,” he said in a statement here last night.
His statement was posted by a Warisan member and aide in a WhatsApp group for Warisan to post statements for reporters.
PKDM’s stance is expected to help Umno and Warisan in the race against GRS to obtain a simple majority of 40 seats to form the next government.
Assuming Umno and Warisan will pair up, they will have at least 32 seats. KDM is expected to throw their weight behind them, giving them 35 seats.
GRS comprises 15 seats from former Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia members, seven from Parti Bersatu Sabah, six from Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku and one nominated assemblyman from Sabah Progressive Party, giving them 29 seats.
Between four to seven Umno assemblymen may choose to stay with GRS and leave Umno but this will still leave GRS short of the majority.
Pakatan Harapan’s seven assemblymen may emerge as kingmaker in this fight for the state government.
Prior to Sabah BN’s announcement last night, the GRS-Barisan state government had a majority of 46 seats.
