Any Back Door Plots Will Be Rejected By The People Of Sabah

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Any move to take over the state government will be rejected by a majority of the Sabah people, Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) information chief Datuk Joniston Bangkuai said. -NSTP file picKOTA KINABALU: Any move to take over the state government will be rejected by a majority of the Sabah people, Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) information chief Datuk Joniston Bangkuai said.
He stressed any factions aspiring to take over the state government should wait until the next election to determine if they have the support of the people.
"Why hatch a plot to unseat the state government at a time when our focus should be to hasten and intensify efforts to develop the state?"
Joniston was speaking of a rumoured move to bring down the Sabah government being circulated on social media.
On Wednesday, GRS secretary-general Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun addressed rumours that a certain group was plotting to form a new state government.
Masidi had said, however, that the state government remains stable and that Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor still had the majority support.
Speaking at a meet-the-people programme in remote Kampung Romokon in Kiulu, Joniston said the majority of Sabahans are against any plot or action to unseat the current state government.
"Let's not forget the results of the 16th state elections in 2020 in which the party that unseated the already installed state government through defection being rejected," he said without elaborating.
In the polls he mentioned, Parti Warisan led by Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal lost.
In responding to concerns on talks about moves by certain quarters to topple the state government, Joniston said any moves that could bring about political instability in Sabah should be avoided and instead all concerned should focus on strengthening unity.
"Let's not disrupt the good and productive work the current state government is doing.
"It is regrettable that certain quarters appear to never cease to undermine the state government led by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor."
Joniston, who is also Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) information chief and Kiulu assemblyman, said the state has seen tremendous growth including recording the highest state revenue ever of RM6.6 billion in 2022, among others, under Hajiji.
In addition, the annual assemblyman allocation for this year has been increased to RM3 million, with RM2.5 million set aside for small projects and RM500,000 for touch point programmes.
Meanwhile, seven Pakatan Harapan Sabah assemblymen issued a joint statement declaring that they stand against any attempt to take over the state government.
"We are monitoring this political development in the state seriously and all seven PH assemblymen have convened to discuss this current development," the statement said
The seven representatives are Datuk Christina Liew (Api-Api), Datuk Fung Ming Poon (Tanjung Papat), Datuk Ewon Benedick (Kadamaian), Phoong Jin Zhe (Luyang), Jannie Lasimbang (Kapayan), Tan Lee Fatt (Likas) and Peto Galim (Inanam).
"We hereby declare that we will stand by the state government en bloc and ensure political stability so that Sabah could be further developed, and people could be served effectively.
"We do not support governments that are formed via the 'back door'. Any attempt to undermine this, will see the wrath of the people as all they see are politicians who are greedy and are only interested in overtaking power," it added. - NST

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