Rousing welcome for Musa Aman at KKIA on arrival

KOTA KINABALU - Embattled former Sabah Barisan Nasional chairman Tan Sri Musa Aman (pic) returned to the state capital on Wednesday (Nov 7), just two hours before the High Court ruling on his suit seeking a declaration that he is the legitimate Chief Minister of Sabah.

Crowds of supporters, including leaders from Sabah Umno and other opposition parties, turned up at the airport to greet him shortly after he arrived on a Malaysia Airlines flight from Kuala Lumpur at 1.05pm.

Amid shouts of "Hidup Musa Aman", the Sungai Sibuga assemblyman smiled and tried to shake hands with supporters amid the jostling.

Among those present were Sabah Umno chairman Datuk Hajiji Mohd Noor, Sabah Progressive Party president Datuk Yong Teck Lee, and senior party leaders from Sabah STAR and Parti Bersatu Sabah.

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Musa, the former chief minister, contends that he is the rightful chief minister through his appointment on May 10, and that the Yang di-Pertua Negri Tun Juhar Mahiruddin's appointment of his successor Parti Warisan Sabah president Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal is illegal.

Musa's lawyers have maintained that the Governor has no power under the Sabah Constitution to dismiss Musa as chief minister, while lawyers for Juhar and Shafie are referencing the legal precedent in the case of the removal of the Perak Mentri Besar in 2009 in their main argument that the Governor can remove a chief minister who has lost the majority in the assembly.

Their contention is that the Governor can appoint a chief minister based on the statutory declarations of support by assemblymen.

Based on the Perak precedent, they argued that the Governor has the right to assess the majority through such declarations and appoint the new chief minister.

Kuching-based High Court judge Datuk Yew Jen Kie is set to make her ruling at 2.30pm today (Nov 7) and a tight police security cordon has been placed around the Kota Kinabalu High Court.

Entry to the courtroom is being limited, with 10 slots allocated to members of the media.