Kota Kinabalu: Things may have taken a different turn for Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor – and for Sabah – had an offer letter from the Customs Department that his application to become an officer had been successful, not arrive on time around 1983.
Hajiji had applied for the job during his semester break after coming across an advertisement in the Daily Express of a vacancy. About a month and half passed and was about to continue to do his Masters at the University of New Hampshire in Boston, USA, when he was asked to attend an interview.
“I didn’t feel I could get the job and was prepared to go back to the US. In fact, I received the offer letter just a week before departure,” he said.
The post required him to be based in Tawau as a Superintendant. At that time, the scale was A20 or Division One.
“I took the job and told my mum. Then I called the CM’s Department to cancel my scholarship as I wanted to support the family.”
Hajiji strongly feels that some things happen for a reason and that one must be prepared whether he or she likes it or not. In this case that fate or destiny had other plans waiting for him.
Having been an assemblyman, Minister and now Chief Minister, Hajiji says his 23 years in Sabah politics taught him that most of the state’s problems can be overcome if there is honesty and sincerity in the administration’s dealings.
Yet he never thought he would be a politician one day.
He also felt bad to leave the side of his ageing mum who singlehandedly raised him. His dad died when he was 11.
In May 1990, the State Assembly was dissolved and Former Usno strongman Tun Datu Mustapha summoned him and told him to quit his Customs job and stand for elections for the first time.
“I had never seen him before in person. Only in the newspapers and I was curious how he knew about me.
“So I went with some others and was stunned when he asked ‘mana ini Hajiji’. I identified myself and he told me there and then ‘you resign’ before I could even sit down. But that was his style.”
It was around Kaamatan and Mustapha’s order kept playing in his head when he got home. “I had to think it over.
“My mother got mad when she heard that I was planning to quit my Customs job. Jangan kau ikut orang itu. Kita ini susah. Kau kerja (don’t follow that person. We are poor. It’s better that you work).
“I was in a dilemma and decided to let another week pass when Tun looked for me again.
But something made Hajiji listen to the Tun’s advice. “At that time I could not reject the offer. So in front of him I resigned.”
When he went to see Customs Director Datuk Rashid Bolong and gave him 24 hours notice and paid three months, again he faced opposition to his plan.
“Kenapa kau mau resign ini. Kau ingat ini Usno bolih menang? Bagus lagi kau kerja. Saya tidak mau accept kau punya resignation. (why are you resigning? You think Usno can win? Better you work. I am not accepting your resignation). You think again,” Rashid told him.
“I told him I thought it over and whatever happens I will have to accept it. My mother was so mad.”
At that time Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) was very strong. My main rivals were Jahid Jahim who had quit as District Officer and Kalakau Untol. Then there was the Berjaya candidate and two independents.
When campaigning began, Hajiji found out how it is like to be the underdog. All he had to spend in the 21-day campaigning was just RM50,000 provided by Mustapha.
“When I turned up in kampungs for ceramahs, only 20 or so people would welcome me as I was an opposition candidate and they were afraid to associate themselves with me.”
To make matters worse, Usno supporters were sore that Mustapha had selected as candidate someone who was a newcomer and not holding any party post at division level.
“I was on my own. Mustapha also did not campaign for me.
“The Usno people were unfriendly because I from nowhere jadi candidate. Because they were not selected, they sabotaged my campaign.
“I had no election machinery, nothing to give. I thought I am finished. That I will lose. But still I won with a 281-vote majority and it was the beginning of my political career.”
Asked how his contenders fared, he said Kalakau and AliAsgar lost their deposits.
