With Jeffrey’s backing, Musa sworn in as Sabah CM
KOTA KINABALU: Tan Sri Musa Aman (pic) managed to get himself sworn in as Sabah Chief Minister late last night after a day packed with drama.
The state election had resulted in a hung assembly, with Sabah Barisan Nasional winning 29 state seats, the same number won by Parti Warisan Sabah led by Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal.
The remaining two state seats were won by Sabah STAR, led by Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan.
Musa and Shafie had separately tried to go into Istana Negeri earlier yesterday in a bid to be sworn in as Chief Minister, but they were not permitted to enter.
Jeffrey’s party then turned “kingmaker” by supporting Sabah Barisan to give it 31 seats.
Musa was sworn in before Yang Di- Pertua Negri Tun Juhar Mahiruddin at 11.10pm.
Earlier, the Istana resisted an attempt by Musa to seek an audience at about 1.30am yesterday, while Shafie’s attempt to enter at 10am was also not allowed.
With Sabah STAR throwing its lot behind Barisan, Musa asked to be sworn in as the Chief Minister.
“I have the majority. I want the Yang Di-Pertua Negri to swear me in as Chief Minister,” he told a press conference at his Seri Gaya official residence at 2pm.
The roads leading to the Istana had been cordoned off by police since the wee hours of yesterday.
The move to announce Barisan’s majority was countered quickly by Shafie who met up with Parti Upko, led by Tuaran MP Datuk Seri Madius Tangau.
Tangau announced that Upko had pulled out of Barisan to align itself with Warisan in a bid to secure 31 seats in the 60-member state assembly.
However, Upko’s backing of Shafie became hollow when all its five assemblymen said they were not with Tangau in his decision to pull out of the Barisan.
One of them, first-term Kadamaian assemblyman Ewon Benedict, told reporters that they were not abiding by Tangau’s decision to leave Barisan and form a pact with Warisan and Pakatan Harapan.
Tangau claimed that the five assemblymen were being “held against their will” as all had agreed to abide by the special supreme council meeting’s decision to endorse the decision to form a pact with Pakatan.
Tangau had also gone to see Tun Juhar to explain his party’s stand to forge a coalition with Warisan and its partners.