Umno Reps Meet At Hajiji S Home Amid Coup Speculation Report

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Six Umno state assemblypersons met at Sabah chief minister Hajiji Mohd Noor's home last night, amid speculation of a move to topple the GRS-BN state government.
Berita Harian reported that the meeting, led by Umno Sabah deputy chief Yakub Khan, was held after Hajiji met with Umno Sabah leaders at the Umno headquarters that afternoon.
The others six who attended were asseblypersons, namely:
- Andi Muhammad Suraydy Bandi (Tanjung Batu)
- Mohd Hamsan Ag Supain (Sungai Sibuga)
- James Ratib (Sugut)
- Yusof Yacob (Sindumin)
- Harun Durabi (Bengkoka); and
- Raimie Unggi (appointed assemblyperson).
Four of them hold office in Hajiji's government as state assistant ministers.
Hajiji had also met with GRS and Pakatan Harapan assemblypersons at a new year get-together before attending the event at the state Umno HQ, Berita Harian reported.
GRS treasurer Mohd Ariffin Arif said Hajiji and all GRS and Harapan assemblypersons affirmed their allegiance to Hajiji at the meeting, it reported.
Yesterday, all Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) and Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (Star) assemblypersons also pledged support for Hajiji.
Meanwhile, the United Progressive Kinabalu Organisation (Upko) vice-president Ewon Benedick expressed the hope that Harapan state assemblypersons and leaders can be made a part of the Sabah government.
“We (Pakatan Harapan, GRS and BN) have formed a unity government at the federal level. So, I hope at the Sabah level there will be a mechanism to strengthen unity at the state government level by making Harapan a part of the Sabah government,” Ewon told Bernama.
Hajiji and Bung downplay meetings
On Facebook, Hajiji downplayed his meetings with political players yesterday as meetings to discuss plans to develop Sabah in 2023.
Sabah Umno chief and deputy chief minister Bung Moktar Radin also dismissed the speculations and said the state Umno meeting yesterday was a "normal meeting" to discuss the party's future.
Political watchers are closely monitoring the movements of politicians in Sabah after Warisan president Shafie Apdal called a press conference yesterday afternoon, and speculated to announce he had sufficient numbers to topple the Hajiji government.
The event was, however, postponed after journalists waited for two hours.
Meanwhile, seven Harapan assemblypersons yesterday said they did not give any statutory declarations of support for any parties after 2020.
GRS secretary-general Masidi Manjun said the coalition is prepared to prove that Hajiji has the support of the majority of the House.
The Sabah legislative assembly has 79 assemblypersons - 73 elected and six appointed.
The Sabah government now has the support of 60 assemblypersons, comprising 29 from GRS, BN (17), Harapan (seven), Parti Kesejahteraan Demokratik Masyarakat (three), Parti Bangsa Malaysia (one), Parti Harapan Rakyat Sabah (one), PN (one) and Independent (one).
Warisan has 19 state assemblypersons.
- Mkini

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