In alignment: Anthony (seated second right) with the party’s senior leaders said at a press conference that the decision to support Hajiji was made in the interest of doing good for Sabah and its people.
KOTA KINABALU: After joining Sabah Barisan Nasional and Parti Warisan in calling for Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor’s ouster last month, Parti KDM has now switched back to supporting him to remain as the Chief Minister.
Parti KDM president Datuk Peter Anthony, the Melalap assemblyman, noted that this was a unanimous decision by the party’s leadership and in line with the party’s policy of supporting whoever is the government of the day.
“We have decided to give full support to Hajiji to spearhead the Sabah government,” he told a press conference at the Parti KDM office here yesterday.
“We have not set any conditions but 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 Limbahau and Bandau.”
Limbahau and Bandau are Parti KDM’s two other state seats.
“We also hope our support today will calm the political situation in Sabah,” Anthony added.
However, the former 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 public interest in Sabah and not personal gains,” 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-Umno severed its ties with the GRS coalition on Jan 6, Parti KDM then issued a statement calling for Hajiji to resign as Chief Minister.
It said the Sulaman assemblyman no longer commanded the majority in the state assembly.
There was a possibility that Sabah Barisan, Warisan and Parti KDM could topple the state government at the time.
But Hajiji managed to hold on to his position after four Sabah Barisan-Umno assemblymen and one assemblyman aligned to the party as well as five Sabah Pakatan Harapan representatives chose to throw their support behind him.
Meanwhile, Anthony intimated that Parti KDM had delayed its latest announcement to comply with an instruction by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to not issue any political statement for the time being.
He said they had met with the two leaders previously and were requested to allow for a political cooling-off period.
“We accepted their request but today, it seems we have gone against that. But it’s okay because I believe this is for public interest and for the good of Sabah and its people,” he added.
Asked whether Hajiji would accept them back with open arms, Anthony said it is the Chief Minister’s prerogative.
“What’s important is the political ceasefire in Sabah. There was a political crisis in Sabah before but that has been settled.
“What is vital is that we move on instead of continuing to be at odds with each other. What’s the use of fighting?” he said.
To a question if they would be meeting Hajiji soon, Anthony said they would make arrangements to see him if the Chief Minister has time for them.
“This is not an application (to join GRS) but our support for the current government. We will support him as long as he remains the Chief Minister.
“Politics is dynamic. Today we fight but tomorrow we will be friends. There are no permanent enemies in politics,” he said.
To another question on whether they spoke to Sabah Barisan and Warisan on their move, he said: “Let them handle their parties, let us handle ours.”
