(Seated from second left) Maxxy Loo, Datuk Awang Ahmad Sah, Datuk Seri Panglima Hajiji Noor, Nicholas Chak, Faridah Wasli and Datuk David Chong.
KOTA KINABALU (June 4): Parti Warisan Sabah (Warisan) Kota Kinabalu division experienced a mass exodus on Sunday when most of its committee leaders left the party en bloc and joined Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah (Gagasan Rakyat).
Led by its deputy division chief Nicholas Chak who is also a Warisan supreme council member, the delegation met with Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Hajiji Noor at his official residence Sri Gaya to inform him of their decision.
Besides Chak, others who announced their decision to quit Warisan and join Gagasan Rakyat that is led by Hajiji are Datuk David Chong (Kota Kinabalu division’s vice chief), Faridah Wasli (Kota Kinabalu division’s Women movement chief cum Likas Barat branch chief), Maxxy Loo (Warisan’s Wira movement’s deputy chief cum Kota Kinabalu Wira chief) and Kota Kinabalu division’s committee members Norsham Wasli, Nurul Akmal, Yim Woei Cherng (Kota Kinabalu Wira secretary), Timothy Hill, Rickcy Lim, Jack Chin, Christiana Yong, Pungut Jouya, Mohd Khairul and Nicholas Tan.
Accompanying them to Sri Gaya were Petagas assemblyman cum Gagasan Rakyat’s Tanjung Aru division chief Datuk Awang Ahmad Sah and its secretary Judy Hiew.
The group of former Warisan members said they fully support the unity government in the state that is led by Hajiji.
“In the general election last year, the rakyat made their decision through their votes resulting in the unity government being formed. It is now time to fully support the unity government and focus on governance.
“Political disputes should be deferred until the next election as it is now the time to think about the needs of the rakyat and that is a stable political environment where they can work and carry out their businesses,” the group said.
They added that the rakyat are fed up with the country’s instability caused by political disputes.
They said that during the meeting with the Chief Minister, the latter informed them that he is working hard to resolve issues in the state among which is the water supply problem in Sandakan.
“Hajiji hopes to resolve the salty water supply problem as soon as possible so that people in Sandakan can enjoy clean water supply. At the same time, he wants to attract more foreign investment to increase job opportunities in Sabah and prevent local youths from migrating to Peninsular Malaysia or abroad to work.
“The chief minister also stated that he will do his best to create a better and more prosperous Sabah,” they said.