Sabah government set to fall to Malaysia PM Muhyiddin’s coalition
It is understood that discussions between Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin (left) and Umno’s Musa Aman have paved the way for the coup.PHOTOS: AFP, THE STAR/ASIA
NEWS NETWORK
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Shannon Teoh
Malaysia Bureau Chief
KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia’s Sabah state is on the verge of changing governments, with assemblymen formerly loyal to chief minister Shafie Apdal expected to defect to the Perikatan Nasional (PN) pact helmed by Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.
Well-placed sources told The Straits Times that at least 14 assemblymen have agreed to desert Datuk Seri Shafie – a staunch ally of former premier Mahathir Mohamad – and back his predecessor and rival Musa Aman instead.
“There may be more (defectors). But for now, we have to wait for an audience with the governor,” a top PN official said, referring to the ceremonial head of state.
This would make Sabah the latest in a string of states lost by Pakatan Harapan (PH) and its allies after its federal government collapsed at the end of February. PH was left without majority support in Parliament after Tan Sri Muhyiddin led some 40 lawmakers out of the coalition.
He was sworn in as prime minister on March 1, backed by the loose PN pact that includes his supporters in Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia, former ruling party Umno, Parti Islam SeMalaysia and Gabungan Parti Sarawak.
With Sabah under its belt, PN would control 10 of Malaysia’s 13 state governments. PH, which had previously lost Johor, Melaka, Perak and Kedah to PN, would be left with the country’s richest state Selangor, Penang and Negeri Sembilan.
Tan Sri Musa, who is from Umno, had been Sabah’s chief minister for 15 years before Umno’s shock defeat in the May 2018 election to PH. His comeback gathered momentum after all 46 counts of graft levelled against him when PH was in power were withdrawn on June 9.
Sources with knowledge of the impending changes in Sabah told ST that there had been dissent within the PN ranks as to who should head the government of the east Malaysia state, with Bersatu state chief Hajiji Noor among the front runners.
But it is understood that discussions between Bersatu president Muhyiddin and Mr Musa, brokered by Senior Minister for the Economy Azmin Ali, paved the way for the coup.
However, Mr Musa’s return to power must still obtain the assent of state governor Juhar Mahiruddin, a founding member of Umno in Sabah.
If it is clear that Mr Shafie no longer commands support of the state assembly, Tun Juhar must ask him to resign. But the Parti Warisan Sabah president can also ask the governor to call for snap polls.
Mr Shafie is currently backed by 45 assemblymen, or two-thirds of the 65-seat state assembly. This means the Bersatu-led opposition will need at least 13 defectors to secure power.
A change in Sabah could significantly impact the federal situation, where the PN government only holds a slim majority with 113 of Parliament’s 222 lawmakers. Some of the 10 Sabah MPs currently in federal opposition could be persuaded to cross the floor if PN takes over the state.
This is featured in The Singapore Straits Times.
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