Accept the truth, you’re no longer CM, Musa urged

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Barisan Nasional members and its chairman Tan Sri Musa Aman should accept their defeat in the general election and play the role of an effective Opposition to the state government, says a Parti Warisan Sabah leader.

Warisan permanent chairman Datuk V.K. Liew said Musa and Barisan should swallow the bitter pill of defeat instead of focusing on the May 12 swearing-in of Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal as Chief Minister.

“It was legitimate and in accord- ance with the state constitution,” Liew said.

The May 10 appointment of Musa automatically ceased the moment the new chief minister took the oath of office, said Liew, who is Batu Sapi MP.

Saying that enough legal debate had gone on over Shafie’s appointment, Liew added that the question of whether Musa had to resign first or convene the Sabah Legislative Assembly for a vote of confidence was now academic and irrelevant.

“It is a fact, an undeniable fact, that Shafie’s new government with Upko, PKR and DAP has more than the required margin to form the state government,” Liew said, adding that Warisan and its partners held only 37 of the 60 assembly seats.

Liew claimed that at the time of Musa’s swearing-in on May 10, he did not command the majority of the assemblymen.

“They are duly elected by the people and they have a responsibility to carry out their duties as the Opposition and to provide a check and balance to the present govern- ment,” he added.

He said it was understandable Barisan thought itself high and mighty but it should realise that the voter sentiment was to seek change.

“The feeling of shock and disbelief must be lingering not only in the minds of Barisan leaders but also among their supporters,” Liew said.

Musa, who has kept a low profile since his ouster, maintains he is still the legitimate chief minister and is contemplating a challenge to Shafie’s appointment.