KOTA KINABALU: There is no issue of State Legislative Assembly Speaker Datuk Seri Syed Abas Ali abusing his power in the appointment of the Klias assemblyman as the opposition chief as claimed by opposition lawmakers.
This was because Api Api assemblywoman Christina Liew, whom several of the opposition state elected representatives said was the rightful opposition leader, did not get the required majority of votes, Deputy State Assembly Speaker Datuk Johnny Mositun said.
So based on that, the Speaker opted to maintain the status quo and retained Datuk Lajim Ukin as the opposition chief, he explained.
Mositun who was met at a Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) meeting in Kampung Limbahau Papar, said this when asked to comment on the allegation by the opposition of the Speaker being undemocratic and not respecting their votes for their choice of opposition chief.
“The public must be informed properly about this issue so that the allegations that the Speaker has been undemocratic or in violation of the rules of the assembly can be cleared up,” he said.
Mositun pointed out that after the 13th general election, Lajim was appointed opposition leader for the present term of the assembly by majority of the opposition’s state elected representatives. The term will only end when the State Assembly is dissolved.
According to Mositun, the Speaker used his discretion correctly because of issues with the majority votes needed to replace Lajim.
“The opposition claimed six out of 10 state elected representatives had voted for Christina to be the opposition chief but the Speaker had a letter from one of the six declaring support for another opposition leader, and not the Sabah PKR chief.
“With this one vote in doubt there were only five confirmed votes which do not represent the majority and that is why the Speaker opted for the status quo and directed Lajim to carry on as opposition leader for the assembly session,” Mositun explained.
The opposition, he claimed, only have themselves to blame for creating the confusion in the State Assembly as they kept changing their stand.
“There is no end to their petty internal rivalries. At one time they backed Lajim, then they turned to (Datuk Seri Panglima Wilfred) Bumburing, and now it is Liew,” he said and suggested that the opposition lawmakers sort out the issue and present it formally to the Speaker for further action.
Until they do, the Speaker’s decision will stay, Mositun said, adding that it is not good to politicize the matter or drag the Speaker into the squabbling among opposition parties,” he said.
He also said that there is no Standing Order on the issue of opposition chief and it was solely at the Speaker’s discretion.