PETALING JAYA: Bersatu vice-president Ronald Kiandee has been appointed to lead Sabah Bersatu for now.
In a statement, Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin said Sabah Bersatu “still exists and is functioning” although former chairman Hajiji Noor and other leaders left the party yesterday.
Muhyiddin added that Ronald, who is Beluran MP, is responsible for supervising and managing Sabah Bersatu and Sabah Perikatan Nasional (PN) until its reorganisation is carried out by the respective Bersatu and PN Supreme Councils.
“I am disappointed with the attitude of the former Sabah Bersatu leadership. They did not show loyalty to the party that had placed them in a high position after the state election,” Muhyiddin said referring to the polls which took place in September 2020.
“Moreover, their victory in the state election was under the PN logo.
“I believe that Bersatu members in Sabah who are loyal to the party’s struggle will continue to remain in the party.”
He added that the status of the four Bersatu MPs who won their seats in the general election (GE15) on a Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) ticket will be determined based on the anti-party hopping law under Article 49(A) of the Federal Constitution.
The four MPs are Armizan Ali (Papar), Khairul Firdaus Akhbar Khan (Batu Sapi), Jonathan Yasin (Ranau), and Matbali Musah (Sipitang).
Armizan and Khairul Firdaus have since been appointed by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim as Sabah and Sarawak affairs minister, and deputy tourism, arts and culture minister, respectively.
Yesterday, GRS chief and Sabah chief minister Hajiji said that he and other Sabah Bersatu leaders would leave the party as the current status quo is “no longer tenable”.
Bersatu is a member of PN and in the opposition at the federal level.
However, its Sabah chapter is a component of GRS, which has pledged its support for Anwar.
