Report: Hajiji appoints two loyal Sabah assemblymen from Umno and DAP to GLC posts

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 14 — Two Sabah assemblymen — one from Umno and the other from DAP — who backed Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor in the recent state political impasse, have been appointed to head two state government-linked companies (GLCs).

Umno’s Sindumin assemblyman Datuk Yusof Yacob is now chairman of the state investment arm Qhazanah Sabah Bhd with immediate effect while Sabah DAP chief Datuk Frankie Poon is the new chairman of Sabah Development Bhd, The Star reported today.

Yusof was one of the Umno five who went against their state chief Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin who called on his party mates to withdraw support for Hajiji and the latter’s Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS).

Yusof replaced Usukan assemblyman Datuk Seri Salleh Said Keruak who was removed from the post prior to the political crisis.

The GLC appointment of Poon, who is Tanjong Papat assemblyman, comes with a state ministerial ranking, The Star reported.

Both Yusof and Poon received their appointment letters from Hajiji at his office in Menara Kinabalu in Kota Kinabalu yesterday.

Also present were state Finance Minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun and state secretary Datuk Seri Safar Untong.

Reports of Sabah politics being in tatters emerged since last week with claims that Bung Moktar was leading the state Umno to work with Parti Warisan to oust Hajiji from his state chief minister post.

Both Bung Moktar and Warisan president Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal claimed Hajiji no longer commanded the majority of the 79-seat Sabah legislature.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was also reported to have brokered a temporary truce when he flew to Kota Kinabalu from an official visit to Indonesia last week and asked Hajiji to set aside political differences to form a unity state government.

Towards the end of last week, GRS managed to garner the support of 44 assemblymen, including the five Sabah Umno assemblymen who went against the move by Bung Moktar and seven Sabah Pakatan Harapan representatives.