Sabah Bersatu still exists - Muhyiddin

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 11 (Bernama) -- Sabah Bersatu still exists and is functioning even though its chief Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor and his followers announced their resignation from the party yesterday, said Bersatu president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

In a statement posted on his Facebook page today, he said Sabah Bersatu leadership, divisions and branches were established by the party Supreme Leadership Council (MPT) and only the MPT had the authority under the party Constitution to decide its position.

The Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairman also announced that party vice-president and Beluran member of parliament Datuk Seri Dr Ronald Kiandee has been appointed as the Sabah Bersatu chief and Sabah PN Liaison chairman.

“He (Kiandee) is responsible for supervising and managing Sabah Bersatu and Sabah PN until the restructuring of the state Bersatu and State PN is decided by Bersatu MPT and PN Supreme Council,” he said.

Muhyiddin also expressed his disappointment with former Sabah Bersatu leaders who did not show loyalty to the party after they were appointed to high positions after the last state election.

“I believe that Bersatu members in Sabah, who are loyal to the party’s struggle will continue to remain in Bersatu which is a component party of PN at the federal level,” he said.

On the position of the four Bersatu members of Parliament who contested using the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) logo in the recent 15th General Election (GE15), Muhyiddin said their position would be decided based on the anti-party hopping law under Article 49A of the Federal Constitution.

Yesterday, Hajiji said leaders of Sabah Bersatu led by him had unanimously decided to leave the party but would remain under GRS.

Hajiji, who is GRS chairman, said the decision was made after taking into consideration the current political landscape in the country, particularly in Sabah.

-- BERNAMA