KOTA KINABALU, Nov 30 — Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) chairman Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor was sworn in early today as Sabah Chief Minister for a second term.
Hajiji, who retained the Sulaman seat in the 17th Sabah State Election yesterday, took his oath of office before Sabah Yang Dipertua Negeri Tun Musa Aman in a ceremony at Istana Seri Kinabalu here.
Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak Datuk Azizah Nawawi witnessed the signing of the documents.
Also present were GRS secretary-general Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun, GRS deputy secretary-general and Domestic Trade and Costs of Living Minister Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali, Sabah State Assembly Speaker Datuk Seri Kadzim M Yahya, Sabah Attorney-General Datuk Brenndon Keith Soh, and Musa’s private secretary Izharuddin Jalaludin.
According to the official results, GRS led the contest with 29 seats, followed by Parti Warisan (Warisan) with 25 seats, Barisan Nasional (BN) with six, Upko with three, and STAR with two.
A total of 73 state seats were contested in this election.
Earlier, negotiations to form the new Sabah state government took place at several locations in the city, involving figures such as Upko honorary president Datuk Seri Wilfred Madius Tangau and Upko president Datuk Ewon Benedick, who were seen visiting the chief minister’s official residence and Istana Seri Kinabalu.
Meanwhile, Warisan president Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal and Deputy Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Datuk Mohammad Yusof Apdal were seen gathering at a hotel here.
BN chairman Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had earlier said that as a party that prioritises political stability and the well-being of the people, BN was prepared to work with compatible parties to form a new state government for the sake of Sabah’s political stability.
