Sabah PH begins sidelining Azmin supporters, takes wait-and-see approach to crisis
(FMT) – Pakatan Harapan leaders in Sabah are removing the names of those aligned to former PKR deputy president Mohamed Azmin Ali from chat groups following the political crisis at the national level.
Sources from Sabah PKR said orders had been made to remove from party communication channels party members and politicians seen to be detrimental to the party’s wellbeing, especially those aligned to Azmin.
“We are going through all our WhatsApp groups and other communicating channels and identifying those who are part of the Azmin gang. We are going to remove them today,” the source added on condition of anonymity.
Yesterday, PKR sacked Azmin and vice-president Zuraida Kamarudin. Subsequently, nine MPs aligned to Azmin declared they were quitting PKR.
Sabah Chief Minister Mohd Shafie Apdal has maintained the state government’s stand that it supports Dr Mahathir Mohamad as prime minister.
State PKR chief Christina Liew did not wish to comment on the events unfolding in Putrajaya except to say: “We’ll just wait and see.”
Sabah PKR has three MPs namely, Liew (Tawau), Awang Hussaini Sahari (Putatan) and Jonathan Yassin (Ranau).
The Ranau MP is among the nine who quit PKR yesterday.
Others believed to be aligned to Azmin include former Inanam assemblyman Roland Chia, former Tawau PKR chief Kong Hon Ming and Sabah PKR Wanita chief Rahimah Majid.
Rahimah, when contacted, confirmed the “clean-up” had been initiated and that she was waiting for the official word that she had been sacked.
She alleged that DAP and Amanah had “sold out” PKR by changing their stand on Mahathir.
Meanwhile, Sabah DAP would only say its MPs would be meeting the King to tell him where they stood.
State party secretary-cum-Kota Kinabalu MP Chan Foong Hin said: “No comment over who I will support. But I will be meeting the King tomorrow.”
Former PH partner, Sabah PPBM, meanwhile, urged party followers in Sabah to remain calm following the resignation of Mahathir as party chairman.
State deputy chief Masidi Manjun said: “We have no plans to meet with the chief minister at present as I am sure Shafie is well aware of what is happening.”