KOTA KINABALU, Nov 30 — Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS), its partner parties and the independent candidates who won in the 17th Sabah State Election have formed the state government with a simple majority.
GRS deputy secretary-general Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali said GRS chairman Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor was sworn in early today as chief minister for a second term, witnessed by state assemblymen who pledged their support to form the state government.
“God willing, GRS, its partner parties and all independent assemblymen, who were previously with GRS either as assemblymen or party leaders before the dissolution, will move swiftly to fulfil the mandate and trust of the people of Sabah,” he said in a Facebook post.
Hajiji, who retained the Sulaman seat in the state election yesterday, took his oath of office before Yang Dipertua Negeri Tun Musa Aman in a ceremony at Istana Seri Kinabalu here at about 3am.
With 73 state seats contested, GRS won 29 seats, Warisan (25), Barisan Nasional (six), independent candidates (five), Upko (three), STAR (two), while Perikatan Nasional (PN), Parti Kesejahteraan Demokratik Masyarakat (KDM) and Pakatan Harapan (PH) won one seat each.
A simple majority of 37 seats is required to form the state government.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim extended his congratulations to Hajiji Noor for receiving the new mandate to form the state government.
He said the federal government respects the clear message sent by the voters in this election, which demanded change after facing injustice and neglect from various parties in the past.
Anwar said the federal government will continue its work to champion the demands and rights of the people of Sabah, building on the achievements of the last three years.
“Alhamdulillah, over the past three years, we have worked to resolve every inherited issue, including those concerning claims and rights that affect Sabah's interests.
“Within this short period, several tangible advancements have been made regarding the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63),” he said in a post on his Facebook page today.
He added that the Madani government will remain steadfast on the path of reform to ensure Sabah becomes a prosperous and just state, and is no longer marginalised.
“The voice of the people of Sabah is a trust that we must uphold with the highest sense of responsibility,” he said.
