State Assembly members from Parti Warisan (Warisan) and Sabah Umno are expected not to attend the special sitting today.

Both Warisan president Datuk Seri Panglima Shafie Apdal and Sabah Umno chairman Datuk Seri Panglima Bung Moktar Radin are demanding for a Unity Government in the State.

In today’s special sitting, two important bills will be tabled, to provide Sabah autonomy over gas resources.

Despite not attending the sitting, both Shafie and Bung Moktar said their party members are supporting the bills.

The first bill is in regards to the handing over of authority on gas resources management, while the second one concerns the creation of the Sabah Energy Commission.

“I, along with the Warisan assembly members, also fully support the Sabah Energy Commission Bill 2023 and the Gas Supply Bill 2023 which will be tabled in the Third Term Special Meeting of the Sixteenth Sabah State Legislative Assembly on January 10, 2023 in line with Warisan’s struggle to fully implement the 1963 Malaysia Agreement.

“I am confident that these two bills will be approved because they only need a simple majority.

“However, our absence from the State Legislative Assembly session is due to the need to establish as soon as possible the Special Committee that was created to determine the leadership of the Sabah Unity Government in line with the discussion in the meeting with the Prime Minister,” said Shafie in a statement.

Meanwhile, Bung said some of its members are unable to attend the sitting due to their commitment in Kuala Lumpur.

“Most of the Sabah Umno members are unable to attend because they have to leave for Kuala Lumpur to attend the Umno General Assembly.

“However, I along with the Sabah Umno assembly members fully support the Gas Supply Bill 2023 which will be tabled on January 10,” he said.

As the head of Sabah Umno and chairman of the Sabah Barisan Nasional, Bung Moktar also said that he supported Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s proposal to establish a Sabah State Unity Government involving all political parties in the state.

“I am confident and believe that through this unity government it will be able to ease the political temperature and further stabilize the current state of Sabah politics.

“I also hope that Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Hajiji Noor can accept with an open heart the recommendations from the Prime Minister in order to guarantee the interests and well-being of the people of Sabah,” he said.

Anwar arrived in Kota Kinabalu at 9.41pm on Monday after his trip to Indonesia.

When asked about the political situation, he said the decision will be made by Sabah leaders, while he and Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi only here to offer advice.

Meanwhile, after a meeting with state assemblymen and Hajiji at the Sri Gaya residence at midnight, Anwar said he gave blessing for Hajiji to remain Sabah Chief Minister.

Anwar said he wanted the Sabah government to be solid under Hajiji’s rule, and will give him time to figure out the best solution that will benefit Sabah.

Source:
courtesy of THE BORNEO POST

by MARIAH DOKSIL

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