MORE than 600 police officers, light strike force and anti-riot personnel have been deployed in three locations around Kota Kinabalu ahead of the High Court’s decision this afternoon on whether Musa Aman or Shafie Apdal is Sabah’s rightful chief minister.

They had begun taking their stations from as early as 9am.

A police officer attached to the anti-riot division, Samad Samadi, said 20 officers were also at Kota Kinabalu International Airport as a huge crowd was expected to be present when Musa’s flight from Kuala Lumpur arrives at 12.15pm.

The bulk of personnel are station around the court complex in Karamunsing, while some 60 officers from the light strike force and anti-riot units are at the State Administrative Complex in Likas for any eventualities.

“We are preparing for the possibility of a march by Gabungan Bersatu Sabah (GBS) to the government building to reclaim power,” he said.

The High Court is to convene at 2.30pm to decide on Musa’s originating summons to declare him as the rightful chief minister of Sabah. 

By 10.30am, a small group of supporters had turned up at the court complex and more supporters from GBS as well as rival Parti Warisan Sabah, of which Shafie is president, are expected to arrive soon.

At the airport, meanwhile, some 200 of Musa’s supporters had gathered at the arrival hall by 11.10am.

Musa, who is Sibuga assemblyman and former Sabah chief minister, was sworn in on May 10 after the general election. 

However, he went missing after a police report was lodged against him for intimidating the Sabah Yang di-Pertua Negeri Juhar Mahiruddin over his swearing-in. Shafie was then sworn in as chief minister on May 12.

GBS, which comprises four state opposition parties – Parti Bersatu Sabah, Sabah Umno, Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah and Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku – has thrown its weight behind Musa, despite corruption charges against him.

He faces 35 counts of corruption involving RM243 million in relation to timber concessions in Sabah between 2004 and 2008.

GBS has made today’s show of support for Musa an official event, providing food and refreshments for supporters who turn up at the court.

State Umno leaders have also said the criminal charges, coming two days before today’s court decision, were to tarnish Musa’s name and influence the court.

After Shafie was sworn in, Musa had filed an originating summons against Juhar and Shafie seeking a declaration that he is the rightful Sabah chief minister according to the state constitution.

The court will have to consider whether Juhar, as Yang di-Pertua Negeri, had the right to ask Musa to resign or assume that he had resigned, and whether Juhar had the right to allow Shafie to be sworn in as the new chief minister after Musa had already taken his oath of office.

The court will also have to consider whether Musa has the support of the majority of Sabah assemblymen after six Barisan Nasional reps defected to Warisan. – November 7, 2018.