Dissolution strange and reckless: Ex-CM

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) is not surprised over the dissolution of the 15th Sabah State Assembly.

Its President Datuk Yong Teck Lee said despite this, Istana Negeri should not have made such a drastic decision in dissolving the State Assembly.

“The dissolution is not something which is surprising but it was just that it was sudden as well as it (the decision to dissolve) being strange and reckless," he said.

He said based on the good example shown by Istana Negara recently, the Yang Dipertua Negeri Sabah should have called all 65 state assemblymen to get their views.

The former Sabah Chief Minister also said his party would look at the current political scenario before determining SAPP's direction.

On Thursday, Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal dissolved the 15th State Assembly.

This came after several elected representatives from Parti Warisan Sabah-PH-Upko pact crossed over to support former Chief Minister Tan Sri Musa Aman as the new state chief executive.

The move was to topple Shafie-led state government, with Musa claiming he had obtained simple majority to take over the state administration.

It was learnt that Musa's group had tried to seek audience with the Yang di-Pertua Negeri Tun Juhar Mahiruddin shortly after Shafie had a meeting with the Head of State but failed.

At press conference, Musa said he had obtained 33 statutory declarations, which were handed over to Istana Negeri through his lawyers.

Following the dissolution of the unicameral chamber, the 16th state election must be held in the next 6o days.

The Sabah State Assembly which now has 65 state seats, with 6o being elected and another five appointed, will be increased to 78 seats, with 73 being contested in the next state polls and the remainder five being appointed.

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