Dissolution Day For Sabah State Assembly Likely On Monday

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KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah state assembly is widely expected to be dissolved next week, and it could well happen on Monday.
It is learnt that state ministers had bid farewell to each other and taken photographs after the Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, and almost everyone had expected the dissolution to be announced yesterday.
However, some believe that the exit of Sabah STAR, a party led by Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan, and Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) from the ruling Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS), may have delayed the announcement.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor will announce the dissolution of the assembly on Monday, a senior political source said.
Hajiji, who leads the GRS-Pakatan Harapan coalition government, wants to call the election quickly as there is a legal grey area over the actual date of the assembly’s automatic dissolution.
The Chief Minister, it’s learnt, has sought the consent of Yang DiPertua Negeri Tun Musa Aman to dissolve the assembly, paving the way for the 17th state election.  
The senior leader, who did not want to be named, declined to discuss if legal questions on the actual date of the expiry of the assembly might be a push factor for Hajiji.
Sabah Speaker Datuk Kadzim Yahya had previously said that the five-year term of the assembly ends on Nov 11 as the “first sitting” of the 16th assembly was opened by the Governor on Nov 12, 2020.
However, after the Sept 26, 2020 snap state election, a special session was also held on Oct 9, 2020 over the Covid-19 movement control order (MCO), which would make next Thursday the last day of the assembly.
Kadzim had explained then that the Oct 9 session was for the swearing in of the newly-elected assemblymen and was not considered the first day of the sitting.
However, a lacuna in law seems to have been raised.
The state Constitution is not clear on the definition of the first sitting as it only states that “the Legislative Assembly shall, unless sooner dissolved, continue for five years from the date of its first sitting and shall then stand dissolved”.
The constitution also says “the first sitting of the House in each session shall be held in such place on such day and at such hour as the Tuan Yang Terutama Yang DiPertua Negeri may by proclamation appoint”.
Amid the social media storm, the Chief Minister’s media office issued a statement that a press conference on the dissolution would be called at the appropriate time.
In the 2020 snap state election, a loose coalition between Sabah Perikatan Nasional led by Hajiji, Sabah Barisan Nasional led by Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin and Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) toppled the Warisan-Pakatan Harapan state government led by Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal.
Barisan won 14 seats, Perikatan 17 (Bersatu 11 and Sabah STAR 6) while PBS won seven seats. Three independents also joined the loose coalition known as GRS, giving it 41 seats in the 73-member house.
Warisan won 23 seats and its partner Sabah Pakatan won nine seats in the election.
Gabungan Rakyat Sabah was officially registered in early 2022.
However, after the November 2022 General Election, Hajiji and all Bersatu assemblymen ditched the party to form Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah after the federal unity government was formed.
Bung pulled out Sabah Barisan-Umno’s support behind Hajiji’s government in January 2023. Sabah Pakatan came to GRS’ rescue.
As things stand, GRS has 42 assemblymen, Sabah Barisan 12 (including two suspended),  Warisan 14, Pakatan seven, Parti KDM two and PAS one.
The Sungai Sibuga seat held by Umno is now vacant due to the death of its assemblyman, Bari-san’s Mohamad Hamsan Awang Supain. - Star

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