Hamzah Zainudin: Sabah governor will not abuse position over political crisis

KOTA KINABALU, Aug 8 — Bersatu secretary-general Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin today said that Sabah governor Tun Juhar Mahiruddin will not abuse his position in resolving the political crisis in the state.

The Home Minister said the governor is responsible for his actions, “but what is important is that if it were true we need to face a state election, then we will face it”.

Asked if he had met with Juhar prior to the dissolution, he said Juhar has been a good friend of his since the 1990s and therefore not wrong for him to visit a friend.

“Tun Juhar is has been a good friend since the 1990s. There’s nothing wrong with me visiting him. We discussed many things including the future of Sabah.

“But the details — let it be between me and him. I know what we said and he knows what told him.

“I am confident he will not abuse his position and to be the Head of State, let him be responsible for his actions,” he said.

Hamzah added that Bersatu was ready to face the election.

“What’s important to me also is Allah will know who did the right things and who abused their position,” he said.

Hamzah was asked to comment on claims that he and the Prime Minister’s political secretary had met with Juhar to inform him that former chief minister Tan Sri Musa Aman had the support of a simple majority in the State Assembly and wanted to form the government.

Musa had claimed in a press conference on July 29, that he had the support to form a new state government.

However the same night, Chief Minister Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal met with Juhar in a bid to dissolve the state assembly to prevent the toppling and pave way for snap polls.

Juhar had consented to the dissolution of the state assembly on July 30, paving the way for an election within 60 days.

Musa and the 32 assemblymen said to be aligned to him filed an application for a judicial review of the decision to dissolve the assembly.

Yesterday, the High Court said it wanted to hear further arguments on whether it has the judicial authority to listen and decide over the challenge to the authority of the governor to dissolve the assembly.

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