Kota Kinabalu: Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (Star) President Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan slammed an Umno Youth leader for urging Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor to resign as Sabah Chief Minister and proposing that Jeffrey take over during the interim period.
Jeffrey was responding to Umno Youth Treasurer Naim Kurniawan Moktar, who said on Thursday that Hajiji must show leadership by resigning to “pave the way for Jeffrey, who possesses credibility, integrity and a positive reputation”.
Jeffrey, a Deputy Chief Minister, said it was not right for Naim to make such statements based on unfounded allegations and innuendoes.
“No one has been charged or brought to court (over the alleged bribery scandal involving some assemblymen), unlike some Umno leaders.
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Naim had said there was a “crisis of integrity, reputation and credibility” around an alleged scandal involving Sabah Mineral Management which has implicated Hajiji, several state ministers and GLC chairmen in Sabah.
Sabah Umno Youth Chief Sufian Abd Karim previously said that Hajiji, as Chief Minister and the person in charge of state affairs, must take full responsibility for the matter.
On Friday, FMT reported that Star has thrown its support behind Hajiji, with the party’s deputy information chief Ardino Diris saying that calls for the Chief Minister to step down were politically motivated.
Ardino also accused Umno of being the “hidden hand” in state politics. He said Hajiji had proven himself as a strong and inclusive leader that had brought Sabah much-needed stability.
Earlier Saturday, FMT reported that a series of videos, leaked by a purported whistleblower and linking several Sabah assemblymen to the alleged scandal, has been viewed as part of an Umno-led plot against the GRS government.
Sabah Umno Chief Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin, who sources say is eyeing the Chief Minister’s post, insisted, however, that the call for Hajiji to resign was about paving the way for a transparent investigation by the authorities.
Hajiji’s supporters, in dismissing calls for his resignation, pointed out that Bung himself took on the Deputy Chief Minister’s post while embroiled in his own corruption case.
Bung said it was irrelevant that no one has been hauled to court, adding that the buck stops with Hajiji.
When asked if he would be willing to take over from Hajiji, Bung said “I will consider”.