Let us win first and talk about CM’s post later, says Hajiji

(FMT) – Sabah PPBM chairman Hajiji Noor is agreeable to Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s proposal to nominate him as chief minister, but said winning the polls should be the priority now.

Muhyiddin had said before nominations this morning that PPBM will nominate Hajiji as the chief minister if Gabungan Rakyat Sabah – an opposition coalition comprising Perikatan Nasional (PN), Barisan Nasional (BN) and Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) – succeeds in wresting the state government from Warisan Plus.

Hajiji, who is defending the Sulaman seat, said “we will talk (about the proposal) with our friends from BN, PN and PBS when the time comes”.

Asked who will head Gabungan Rakyat Sabah, he said the new coalition will be “helmed together by PN, BN and PBS”.

Gabungan Rakyat Sabah will ensure that the people of Sabah benefit from development and are taken care of,” he said.

Hajiji, who filed his nomination papers at the Dewan Seri Sulaman in Tuaran, faces a three-cornered fight with Warisan’s Aliasgar Basri and Parti Cinta Sabah’s Rekan Hussein.

Asked about his chances, he said he was confident the constituents wanted continued development, which PN could offer.

The state seat is being split into two for the Sept 26 polls – Pantai Dalit, which he had been involved with for more than 30 years, and Sulaman.

In the last general election, Hajiji won the seat by a 7,774-vote majority, defeating candidates from Warisan and Parti Harapan Rakyat Sabah (PHRS).

BN will nominate CM candidate, says Zahid

Meanwhile, in a tweet today, BN chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the coalition will nominate its candidate for the chief minister’s post if the new opposition front wins the elections.

“BN has decided that the Sabah chief minister will only be chosen by assemblymen from BN and its political allies once we have enough seats to form the new government,” he said.