Romzi
KOTA KINABALU (Jan 12): The recent establishment of a ‘unity government’ in Sabah had averted the dissolution of the state legislative assembly for a state election, according to a political analyst.
Dr Romzi Ationg, senior lecturer at Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), said it would not have been a good idea to call for an early election at a time when the national and state economies were on the mend.
The unity government was set up to resolve a political impasse that came about after Sabah Umno chief Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin withdrew Sabah Umno’s support for the state government led by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor. However, not all Sabah Umno leaders were for the withdrawal of support.
Romzi said that in the wake of the political crisis, it was time for all the elected representatives to have an open heart to move on and work together for the betterment of the state.
He said the unity government would work only if the assemblymen were candidly straightforward.
“Frankly, I don’t see (yet) all the assemblymen being open-hearted. They have their personal interests,” he told Bernama.
Romzi said all the assemblymen should adhere to a political ceasefire to enable them to focus on fulfilling the promises they made to the people in the last state election.
He also said that should the political crisis prolong, then Hajiji should determine the legitimacy of his government at a sitting of the state legislative assembly.
Sabah Pakatan Harapan had stated that it did not agree that the state legislative assembly should be dissolved due to political uncertainty in the state.
In a joint statement, all seven PH state assemblymen had stressed that if the crisis was not dealt with immediately, it would lead to a hung assembly.
Another political analyst, Tony Paridi Bagang, said “political stability will remain uncertain and fragile unless all parties accept the new line-up with an open heart”.
The Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) lecturer said political compromise was highly needed and expected in Sabah in the midst of the crisis.
Sabah political leaders should have learned from past crises as any political impasse did not benefit the people or the state.
On Wednesday, a new state cabinet was sworn in, which saw the inclusion of PH elected representatives. Sabah PKR chief and Api-Api assemblyman Datuk Christina Liew was appointed State Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister while Luyang assemblyman Phoong Jin Zhe of the DAP was appointed State Industrial Development Minister.
Tanjung Keramat assemblyman Datuk Shahelmey Yahya of Sabah Umno, who had expressed support for Hajiji as the chief minister, was promoted to be Deputy Chief Minister III and given the Works Ministry portfolio.
In the previous cabinet, Shahelmey was Community Development and Wellbeing Minister. That portfolio is now the responsibility of another Sabah Umno representative, Sugut assemblyman Datuk James Ratib, who was previously the Assistant Agriculture and Fisheries Minister.
The cabinet reshuffle saw Bung Moktar dropped as a deputy chief minister and state minister of works.
Tony Paridi said it was expected that Bung Moktar would be dropped.
He also said that there was a possibility that Hajiji’s rivals might challenge his new cabinet in court.
“Parti Warisan, for instance, has been voicing out Hajiji’s position based on the state constitution,” he said. – Bernama