Pairin proposed as TYT candidate
PENAMPANG: The Kadazan Dusun Cultural Association (KDCA) on Wednesday suggested that the state government consider its president, Tan Sri Pairin Kitingan, as a candidate for the next Head of State.
“As current Head of State Tun Juhar Mahiruddin’s term will be ending soon, KDCA suggests that Tan Sri Pairin be considered as the successor,” said KDCA secretary-general Suman Yasambun.
Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Suman said that among reasons for the proposal of Pairin as the next Head of State is that the latter comes from the largest race/community in Sabah.
Pairin, he said, has served as Sabah’s Chief Minister and is also the ‘Huguan Siou’ or Paramount leader of the KadazanDusun Murut community.
“His nomination for the position was made after taking into account the provisions of Article I of the Sabah State Constitution, which does not require religious beliefs as a requirement,” he said.
This is also in line with one of the conditions in the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), the freedom of religion in Sabah, he added.
Juhar, who is serving his third term as Sabah’s Head of State, was appointed to the position in 2011.
Meanwhile, United Progressive Kinabalu Organsation (UPKO) president Datuk Seri Panglima Wilfred Madius Tangau supports KDCA’s proposal for Pairin to be the next Sabah Head of State.
“Personally, I support the idea because the State Constitution enables him. Pairin is eligible to be made the Head of State. There is nothing in the constitution to disqualify him,” said Madius.
He also explained that although Pairin is not a Muslim, the Head of State of Sabah has no burden to be the chairman of Islamic religion in the State.
“The State Constitution says that the head of Islam in Sabah is the Agong. So there is no problem,” he said at the UPKO headquarters on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Tangau supported the idea of having a fixed parliamentary term for Malaysia.
He said the country will stand to benefit from the system which was practised in the United Kingdom.
“It’s very difficult to work when everybody only asks when the election is,” he said.
Earlier on Wednesday, Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Azhar Azizan Harun also said a fixed parliamentary term system was a practical move for the country.