Sabah is Sabah, Not Perak, says Jeffrey after CM ruling

KOTA KINABALU - Sabah opposition chief Jeffrey Kitingan has questioned the High Court’s decision today to maintain Shafie Apdal as chief minister on the basis of affidavits from assemblymen, saying it was setting a dangerous trend that could be replicated later without the need to go back to legislative assemblies.

Jeffrey, who is the president of Solidariti Tanah Airku (STAR), said the reasons given by the court that there was no need for a motion of confidence in the state assembly seemed to suggest that Sabah’s case was similar to the Perak crisis in 2009.

“This is to say that our constitution is the same as the Perak case, which I don’t think so,” Jeffrey said, referring to the political crisis in Perak which brought down the then Pakatan Rakyat state government just ten months after winning the 2008 general election.

The Kota Kinabalu High Court today threw out former chief minister Musa Aman’s bid to declare Shafie’s appointment as chief minister in May as illegal.

Musa named Sabah Yang Di-Pertua Juhar Mahiruddin and Shafie as defendants.

Explaining the decision, judge Yew Jen Kie said Juhar only needed “extraneous evidence” such as statutory declarations by assemblymen who defected, when he decided to swear-in Shafie.

Shafie was sworn in less than 48 hours after Musa took the oath on May 10, following Barisan Nasional’s victory in the elections. But several Umno and Upko assemblymen later defected to pledge allegiance to Shafie’s Warisan-Pakatan Harapan alliance.

Jeffrey asked if the court was now giving the governor powers to decide who has the confidence of the majority, instead of the state assembly.

“Does this also mean the Agong can decide whether Dr Mahathir Mohamad can remain as prime minister?” asked Jeffrey.

“This court decision is ridiculous. Where is democracy and the rule of law?”

By Tracy Patrick

Jeffrey: Kes ketua menteri Sabah tak sama dengan krisis Perak

Ketua pembangkang Sabah, Datuk Jeffrey Kitingan mempertikaikan keputusan Mahkamah Tinggi mengekalkan Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal sebagai ketua menteri berdasarkan afidavit wakil rakyat kerana ia akan mewujudkan trend berbahaya yang boleh menjadi ikutan tanpa perlu kembali kepada Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN).

Presiden Solidariti Tanah Airku (STAR) itu berkata, alasan mahkamah tiada keperluan mengemukakan usul kepercayaan dalam DUN Sabah seakan-akan sama dengan krisis di Perak pada 2009.

“Ini bermakna perlembagaan kita sama dengan kes Perak, di mana saya tidak setuju,” katanya merujuk krisis politik di Perak yang menyaksikan kerajaan negeri pimpinan Pakatan Rakyat jatuh 10 bulan selepas menang dalam pilihan raya umum 2008.

Mahkamah Tinggi Kota Kinabalu hari ini menolak permohonan Tan Sri Musa Aman untuk mengisytiharkan pelantikan Shafie sebagai ketua menteri Sabah, 12 Mei lalu, sebagai tidak sah.

Musa menamakan Yang di-Pertua Negeri, Tun Juhar Mahiruddin dan Shafie sebagai defendan.

Hakim, Datuk Yew Jen Kie berkata, Juhar hanya memerlukan “bukti luar” seperti akuan berkanun wakil rakyat yang berpaling tadah, apabila beliau memutuskan untuk membenarkan Shafie mengangkat sumpah.

Shafie mengangkat sumpah kurang 48 jam, selepas Musa mengangkat sumpah pada 10 Mei lalu, susulan kemenangan Barisan Nasional dalam pilihan raya umum ke-14.

Tetapi, beberapa wakil rakyat Umno dan Pertubuhan Pasok Momogun Kadazandusun Murut Bersatu (Upko) kemudiannya berpaling tadah untuk menyokong gabungan Warisan-Pakatan Harapan.

Jeffrey mempersoalkan jika mahkamah memberi kuasa kepada gabenor, bukannya DUN untuk menentukan siapa yang mendapat kepercayaan majoriti Adun.

“Adakah ini juga bermakna Agong boleh menentukan sama ada Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad boleh kekal sebagai perdana menteri,” soalnya.

“Keputusan mahkamah ini tidak masuk akal. Di manakah demokrasi dan kedaulatan undang-undang?” - fmt