Azmin continues to push Hajiji as 'worthy' CM despite lack of consensus
SABAH POLLS | Bersatu supreme council member Azmin Ali touted his party's Sabah chief Hajiji Mohd Noor as worthy of becoming chief minister while campaigning for the Perikatan Nasional (PN)-BN-PBS coalition in the Sabah election.
“I won't hesitate to say, ladies and gentlemen, that after listening to Hajiji's speech, he is indeed worthy to be made the Sabah chief minister...
SABAH POLLS | Bersatu supreme council member Azmin Ali touted his party's Sabah chief Hajiji Mohd Noor as worthy of becoming chief minister while campaigning for the Perikatan Nasional (PN)-BN-PBS coalition in the Sabah election.
“I won't hesitate to say, ladies and gentlemen, that after listening to Hajiji's speech, he is indeed worthy to be made the Sabah chief minister.
“This is not my personal view but also that of our Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.
“The people need a respected figure as chief minister and he is none other than Hajiji," the international trade and industry minister told some 250 people at the PBS operations centre in Tuaran today.
Also present was Hajiji, who is defending the Sulaman state seat.
Speaking to journalists after the event, Azmin was asked about BN's assertion that there was no decision yet on who will become chief minister if the PN-BN-PBS coalition wins.
Azmin said that was the view of PN's partner but PN itself has a clear candidate.
“That was the position taken by Umno and BN but for PN, as mentioned by the prime minister during his visit to Sabah, we certainly have a strong and clean candidate.
“I think he should be given the opportunity to lead Sabahans after the election, God willing,” he said.
Read more: Sabah Decides 2020: Making sense of the players, parties and battles
Asked if the position could upset PN's partners, Azmin replied: “As I mentioned, the prime minister had said it openly that on our part, PN would like to suggest Hajiji as the right candidate.
"We need to assure Sabahans that this is the future for them and the state. We have a strong candidate who is able to lead Sabah and the state government. They need to know this for the election," he added.
Muhyiddin had first touted Hajiji as a potential chief ministerial candidate for Sabah during nomination day on Sept 12 but acknowledged that it would need the support of PN's allies.
Subsequently, BN chairperson Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said this will only be decided later on.
“BN has decided that the Sabah chief minister will be chosen by BN assemblypersons and its political allies when we have enough seats to form the new state government,” he had said.
Among BN's potential chief ministerial candidate is its Sabah Umno chief Bung Moktar Radin, who is contesting the newly created Lamag state seat.
BN appears to have a better chance at deciding the chief ministerial candidate if the PN-BN-PBS alliance wins as it is contesting more seats than PN.
BN is contesting 41 state seats compared to PN's 29, while PBS is contesting 22 seats.
The coalition partners will clash in 17 out of the 73 state seats up for grabs.
The PN-BN-PBS alliance, also referred to as Gerakan Rakyat Sabah, is seeking to oust the incumbent Warisan Plus alliance comprising Warisan, Pakatan Harapan and Upko.
Warisan Plus component parties won't be clashing with each other as they have put up only a single candidate for each seat.
Follow Malaysiakini's coverage of the Sabah state election here.
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