Musa sworn in as CM with backing of STAR
KOTA KINABALU: Tan Sri Musa Haji Aman was sworn in for the fourth term as the Chief Minister at 11.06pm last night before Head of State Tun Juhar Mahiruddin.
Musa, who is Sungai Sibuga state assemblyman, was appointed the Chief Minister after the Sabah Barisan Nasional succeeded in securing a simple majority of 31 state seats in the 14th general election with the help of Sabah local opposition Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (STAR) which decided to join the coalition. BN had only won 29 seats.
STAR's sole assemblymen, namely its president Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan (Tambunan) and Robert Tawik @ Nordin (Bingkor), agreed to form a coalition state government with the 29 elected BN Sabah assemblymen for the simple majority.
Musa said he was given the mandate by the 31 assemblymen to lead the state government as the Chief Minister, as BN Sabah has only garnered 29 seats in this general election.
With Jeffrey and Robert on board, BN has secured a simple majority to form the state government, he told a press conference at Sri Gaya at 2pm yesterday, shortly after Upko acting president Datuk Seri Panglima Wilfred Madius Tangau had announced that his party was leaving the BN to form a coalition government with Parti Warisan Sabah (Warisan).
Madius said the decision was made after the party's supreme council meeting held at a resort here.
In response to this, Musa denied that the five Upko assemblyman had left to join Warisan, as all five of them were with the coalition to form the State Government.
The five Upko assemblymen are Ewon Benedick (Kadamaian), Datuk Limus Jury (Kuala Penyu), Datuk Abidin Madingkir (Paginatan), Datuk Bobbey Suan (Nabawan) and Datuk Masiung Banah (Kuamut), who were present at the press conference at Sri Gaya.
“That is not true. We are with the five Upko assemblyman here. What is he (Madius) saying about Upko leaving (BN)? No. We are all here to form the government as we have enough seats. We are waiting for a signal from the Istana to be sworn in,” Musa said.
Meanwhile, Jeffrey said, the formation of the coalition government was necessary for the stability of the State and smooth transition of government.
“We are not joining BN. We are colluding with BN to form the government.”
He said STAR had been invited by other parties as well but decided that it was ‘simpler to work with the 29 here (BN assemblymen) than the few groups of 29 over the other side (Warisan and Pakatan Harapan)' for the sake of Sabah.
“That's why we decided to form the coalition here so that we can move forward.”
Jeffrey added that there would be new restructuring to meet the expectations and aspirations of Sabahans.
Also present was Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) president, Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan.
Of the 60 state seats in Sabah, BN has won 29 seats, followed by Warisan (21), DAP (six), PKR (two) and STAR (two).