Kota Kinabalu: The new Sabah Cabinet is in line with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s idea of a unity state government, says Umno’s Shahelmey Yahya.
The newly appointed deputy chief minister said the state government jointly agreed not to include Warisan and other assemblymen who did not support chief minister Hajiji Noor.
“This is part of the formula for a unity government, because with the three new faces in the Cabinet, we have Pakatan Harapan and Barisan Nasional (in the line-up),” he told reporters outside Istana Seri Kinabalu here today.
Shahelmey said the assemblymen who had sought to topple Hajiji should “calm down” and be a constructive opposition bloc for Sabah’s sake.
“When the time comes in 2025 and the (state assembly’s) term ends, then we will get a fresh mandate from the people,” he said.
He also said he had yet to hear anything from the Umno leadership over the six Sabah Umno assemblymen’s decision not to toe the party line in withdrawing their support for Hajiji.
He said he had met Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi here on Monday, but nothing was discussed.
“I am still an Umno member,” insisted Shahelmey, who confirmed that he will not attend the party’s annual general assembly as he is not a delegate and will be busy taking on his new duties.
Shahelmey has taken over the posts of deputy chief minister and works minister from Sabah Umno chief Bung Moktar Radin, who was left out of Hajiji’s Cabinet line-up following the reshuffle today.
