The Malaysian Insight

ONLY Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin knows who will be the Sabah chapter’s chief, said Lajim Ukin, amidst speculation over who will lead the party in Sabah.

The Parti Harapan Rakyat Sabah (Harapan) leader, who hopes to assume the position, said it will be announced by Muhyiddin on April 6 when Bersatu chairman Dr Mahathir Mohamad launches the state chapter.

“Of course, I will do my best if I am chosen. I think I meet the criteria, as I was also previously the Sabah PKR chief,” he said, amidst speculation on who is set to chair the party’s pro-tem committee.

Lajim, 63, started his political career with Parti Bersatu Sabah in 1985 and toppled the Berjaya government. He later joined Sabah Umno in 1994 and eventually left the party  to form Harapan.

He was named chief while in Sabah PKR after winning the Klias state seat in GE13.

Lajim is in the midst of dissolving Harapan to make way for Bersatu to enter Sabah, promising to take along 64,000 of his party members to join Bersatu.

His party did not win a single seat in GE14.

Former Sabah Umno liaison chief and Sulaman assemblyman Hajiji Mohd Noor is also being touted for the position of Bersatu state chief.

Hajiji led nine assemblymen, five MPs, two senators, and 21 division chiefs out of Umno on December 12 last year in order to join Bersatu.

On March 10,  Hajiji and fellow former Umno Sabah secretary Masidi Manjun confirmed they had a meeting with https://www.themalaysianinsight.com/s/139224Dr Mahathir on March 8 in Kuala Lumpur over the launching of the state chapter.

The date has been fixed on April 6 at Kota Kinabalu’s Padang Merdeka at 3pm, with Dr Mahathir and Muhyiddin expected to formalise the event.

None of the former Sabah Umno leaders including Hajiji have confirmed if the Sulaman assemblyman will be the Bersatu chief, while Masidi told The Malaysian Insight “Dr Mahathir will make an announcement soon”.

Dr Mahathir only said that Bersatu’s entry into the state is aimed to strengthen the ruling parties in Sabah, namely Warisan, United Pasokmomogun and Pakatan Harapan, comprising DAP and Amanah.

Bersatu is a member of the PH group.

However,  Lajim hinted that no former Sabah Umno leaders would hold positions in the party until after GE15, a peninsular rule applied in the state.

“Unless the party president decides to make Sabah a special case, Hajiji may likely be the new chief. But I believe the president may stick to his ground rules,” he said.

He is presently in the midst of dissolving his party in his bid to get to lead Bersatu in Sabah. Lajim’s Harapan Rakyat failed to win a single seat in the May 9 general election.

Lajim did not dismiss the possibility that party vice-president Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman would be the temporary chairman, emulating the Sarawak chapter’s model in which the present chief coordinator position is held by Bersatu supreme council member Mohd Redzuan Md Yusof, who is Alor Gajah MP.

“I think that would be a better move to ensure the party’s stability in the future,” he said. – March 12, 2019.