Peter Anthony (seated, second right) and Parti KDM leaders at the press conference on Tuesday (Feb 21).
KOTA KINABALU: Parti KDM, led by Datuk Peter Anthony, has flipped its political stance again.
After calling for Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor to resign as Chief Minister in last month's political crisis, the party announced on Tuesday (Feb 21) that the party now supported Hajiji to continue leading the state.
Anthony, the Melalap assemblyman, noted that this was a unanimous decision by the Parti KDM leadership, adding this was in line with the party's policy of supporting whoever was the government of the day.
"We have decided to give full support to Hajiji to spearhead the Sabah government," he told reporters during a press conference at the Parti KDM office here.
"We have not set any conditions for this support. What's important is the effort to develop Sabah together and at the same time help the people especially our constituents in Melalap (as well as Parti KDM's two other seats of) Limbahau and Bandau.
"We also hope our support will calm the political situation in Sabah," Anthony added.
However, the former Parti Warisan vice president was defiant when asked how the people would accept the party' about-turn.
"This is not an about-turn. This is for the sake of the public interest in Sabah and not personal gains.
"The party's policy has always been to support the government of the day," he said.
Anthony quit Warisan in December 2021 before setting up Parti KDM which subsequently pledged its support to the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) government led by Hajiji.
However, following the Sabah political crisis, triggered after Sabah Barisan Nasional-Umno severed its ties with the GRS government on Jan 6, Parti KDM then issued a statement calling for Hajiji to resign as Chief Minister.
It said Hajiji no longer commanded the majority in the state assembly to remain in the seat.
There was a possibility that Sabah Barisan, Parti Warisan and Parti KDM could unseat the state government at the time.
Hajiji managed to hold on to power after four Sabah Barisan-Umno assemblymen and one assemblyman aligned to the party, as well as five Sabah Pakatan Harapan reps, chose to support him.
Anthony also said Parti KDM would have announced its decision earlier but were told by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi not to issue any statement so that there could be a political cooling-off period.
"We accepted their requests but it may seem we have gone against that. But I believe this is for the public interest and the good of Sabah and the people," he said.
Asked if Hajiji would accept them back, Anthony said it was the Chief Minister's prerogative.
"What's the use of fighting? It's better we focus on development for the good of the people," he said.
Asked if they would be meeting Hajiji soon, Anthony said they would make arrangements to see him.
"This is not an application (to join GRS) but our support for the current government. We will support him (Hajiji) so long as he remains the Chief Minister.
"Politics is dynamic. Today we may fight but tomorrow we will be friends. There are no permanent enemies in politics," he said.
