Sebatik rep Hassan withdraws pre-signed resignation letter, Speaker to consult AG
Published on: Tuesday, March 02, 2021
Sabah Speaker Kadzim M Yahya says he will discuss with the state attorney-general before making any decision on the matter. (Bernama pic)
Kota Kinabalu: In a new twist to the Sabah party-hopping saga, Sebatik assemblyman Hassan A Gani Pg Amir has sent a statutory declaration to state assembly Speaker Kadzim M Yahya, withdrawing his pre-signed resignation letter.
Kadzim acknowledged that he had received the resignation letter from Warisan but said Hassan had also submitted a statutory declaration to revoke and withdraw any letter he signed with his former party prior to becoming a candidate for the Sabah elections last year.
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The state Speaker said Hassan had come to see him in person at 11.45am today to submit the statutory declaration.
He added that Hassan had told him of his intentions to remain as an assemblyman, FMT reported.
Kadzim said he would need to discuss the legal issue with the Sabah attorney-general tomorrow before making a decision on the matter.
“All I can tell you now is that I received letters from both sides … I will need to discuss with the state AG first,” he said, when contacted.
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Meanwhile, Kadzim said he received Hassan’s pre-signed resignation letter, delivered by Warisan secretary-general Loretto Padua Jr to his office, at 12.15pm today.
He said he received the letter through his secretary, adding that no Warisan representative met him although he was in the office.
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Hassan had yesterday contended that he had no choice but to swear allegiance to Warisan last year because he wanted to be an election candidate.
He acknowledged that he had signed and taken the oath of allegiance, as shown in a video clip but claimed it was invalid, saying: “If I did not swear, I would not be nominated.”
Loretto has rejected Hassan’s claim that he was forced to swear allegiance to the party before he could become an election candidate, saying there was no coercion.
Loretto said Hassan, who left Warisan and pledged support for Gabungan Rakyat Sabah last week, signed the letter and took the oath on his own free will.
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