KOTA KINABALU: Sabah's political temperature is rising amid talk that Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS), led by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor, may lose its majority in the 79-member assembly.
Political circles speculate that Sabah Barisan, led by Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin, was posturing to pull out its support for Hajiji.
Talk on the ground is that Bung might be throwing his 17 assemblymen behind Parti Warisan, led by Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal, to form a coalition government with splinter parties.
Talk is that they have secured a simple 40-seat majority while others, including GRS leaders, have disputed it as mere political speculation.
Bung has not commented on the talk but a senior Sabah Barisan official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that the current "GRS-Barisan government is still functioning but things can happen."
In what is seen as a preemptive strike late Wednesday (Jan 4) night, GRS secretary-general Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun addressed the political talk swirling about.
Masidi said that Hajiji had sufficient support in the assembly to continue ruling the state government.
He said that they also had the support of the seven Pakatan Harapan assemblymen.
He said Hajiji had enough assemblymen who had also signed statutory declarations in support of the GRS chairman.
Masidi, who is the state's Local Government and Housing Minister as well as Finance Minister 2, said certain quarters have claimed to have the support of more than half of the assemblymen to enable another group to form a new state government.
He did not mention any names but said his statement was to reassure the public as well as investors to keep the state stable.
GRS has a total of 29 assemblymen, of which 15 are direct members (ex- Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia).
Hajiji had led a mass exodus of Sabah Bersatu leaders who then became direct members of GRS on Dec 9.
The move out of Sabah Bersatu has raised questions of whether Hajiji could remain as Chief Minister as he was "partyless".
However, GRS officials have maintained that he is the rightful Chief Minister as he was still the GRS coalition chairman and commanded the majority in assembly.
Political opponents have been arguing that it was against the Sabah Constitution, which requires the Chief Minister to be from the party with the highest majority in assembly.
Other GRS components are Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) led by Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili, Sabah STAR led by Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan,
Sabah Progressive Party ( SAPP) led by Datuk Seri Yong Teck Lee and Usno led by Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia.
PBS holds seven seats in assembly, Sabah STAR six seats and SAPP one. Usno does not have any seats.
Other parties holding seats in the state assembly are Parti KDM (3), and one each from PAS, Parti Harapan Rakyat Sabah, Parti Bangsa Malaysia and an Independent.
