Zahid favours Bung for CM job
Published on: Sunday, September 27, 2020
By: FMT
Zahid - Bernama pic
PETALING JAYA: Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said he would leave it to Sabahans to decide on their Chief Minister following Gabungan Rakyat Sabah’s (GRS) victory in the state elections.Zahid also promised there would not be a directive from West Malaysia. “This is my promise, let Sabahans decide on their Chief Minister without any directive from Putrajaya or KL,” he said in a video posted on Facebook.
ADVERTISEMENT
He also said that the parties in GRS should negotiate and agree on who should be the next Chief Minister.
However, he praised state BN chief Bung Moktar Radin’s efforts at coordinating the coalition’s election machinery. “And this could be the basis for an opportunity to lead Sabah,” Zahid said.
He said under the Sabah constitution, the governor would appoint the individual from the party that won the most seats to lead the state.
Among the GRS parties, PPBM had secured the most seats. “It would be better for negotiations to be held before any party in the coalition is given the mandate to lead the state,” he said.
ADVERTISEMENT
Zahid said he has already studied the Sabah state’s constitution, adding that the Sabah governor would be choosing the one who commands the biggest majority in the state.
.jpg)
Bung - The Star.
The mammoth GRS comprises Perikatan Nasional (PN), Barisan Nasional (BN) and Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS), along with a slew of other local-based parties and several friendly independents.
ADVERTISEMENT
“Thank God, that coincidentally, Bersatu, from all the parties (in GRS) got the most number of seats.
“So, rightfully, it is better that whichever party in the coalition that got the most number of seats, be given the mandate and chance to lead the state government, after negotiations are held among parties in the coalition,” he said.
Zahid labelled Bung as a “gem that is not fully polished”, but who came through and secured a victory for his party.
“I am confident Bung is a gem that is not fully polished, and now it is proven that this unpolished gem has given a positive ray not just for Lamag and Kinabatangan, but I feel the ray from this gem will shine all over Sabah, and surely Bung is not a new person in politics.
“He was in Usno (United Sabah National Organisation), and then served a few terms as Umno division head and MP.
“When 22 of 25 Umno division chiefs left the party, he and two more division chiefs still stood by the party,” he said, adding that he values the loyalty displayed by Bung.
“I value loyalty above all other factors, and I see that Bung successfully coordinated at all levels, that is the state level, at state assembly level and in the polling districts and this surely can be used as a basis to give him the opportunity to helm the administration of Sabah later,” Zahid said.
Zahid’s remarks about Bung come in the wake of criticism from Sabah Umno members when Bung was appointed to lead the election efforts.
Supreme Council member Abdul Rahman Dahlan, among others, said the appointment went against the promise of full autonomy for Sabah Umno.
Earlier in the evening, Bung and PPBM secretary-general Hamzah Zainudin both declared that the coalition had achieved a simple majority in the new 73-seat state assembly.
GRS took 38 seats by about 9pm, or just over the 37-seat threshold for a simple majority.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
Daily Express Malaysia
