Source: PN, BN and allies have 41 seats, want swearing-in today

SABAH POLLS | A high-powered meeting of Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) leaders at the Magellan Sutera Hotel in Kota Kinabalu has revealed that PN, BN, and their allies now have 41 seats and want their candidate to be sworn-in as chief minister today.

However, a party source told Malaysiakini that as of noon today, the coalition leaders have yet to confirm their candidate.

Sabah Umno leader Bung Moktar Radin has been spotted at the hotel and has only just walked into the meeting, accompanied by Umno secretary-general Ahmad Maslan.

Earlier Umno was being represented by party vice-president Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

PN's Hajiji Mohd Noor and Umno's Bung Moktar Radin are among the names being speculated over as possible candidates. Once a candidate is decided, the coalition leaders intend to go to the palace of Sabah Governor Juhar Mahiruddin for the swearing-in ceremony.

Meanwhile, the source also told Malaysiakini that in addition to the 38 seats secured by GRS in last night's election, the three independents elected will also lend their support to the new government, giving it a 41-32 majority over the rival Warisan Plus coalition of outgoing chief minister Shafie Apdal.

The three independents elected are Rubin Balang (Kemabong), Ruddy Awah (Pitas), and Masiung Banah (Kuamut).

Parti Bersatu Sabah, which had seven assemblypersons elected is not believed to be attending the meeting but has just issued a statement denying that it will team up with Shafie's coalition.

Meanwhile BN secretary-general Annuar Musa said on Twitter that all 41 assemblypersons of "GRS Plus" met for the first time today.

"The heads of Umno, Bersatu and PBS will meet the Governor today as well, Insyaallah," he added.

The meeting was put on hold as participants broke for lunch at 1pm. PN leaders led by Bersatu secretary-general Hamzah Zainudin got up and left, leaving BN leaders in the meeting room.

Hamzah was reportedly grim and unsmiling, and his group is now said to be having lunch in a separate room from BN leaders.

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