MUAFAKAT Nasional (MN) president Annuar Musa has dismissed rumours that its Sabah chapter has been dissolved, emphasising that MN Sabah remains operational.

“We are a civil society group and should not function like a political party, whether following the Umno model or any other party model. If a civil society group violates regulations, it can be dissolved, which poses a risk for us,” Annuar said, expressing surprise at the recent mass resignation of its state chapter leaders.

Annuar made these remarks after attending the Sabah PAS convention in Kota Kinabalu today.

Jismit Japong, who was the acting Sabah MN chair, along with 30 other members, announced their resignation and the dissolution of the interim Sabah MN chapter on 29 August. They cited a loss of confidence and claimed their requests had been ignored by Annuar.

When questioned about the resignations, Annuar stated that he had accepted Jismit’s resignation in good faith and would do the same for the others if they chose to step down officially. He pointed out that many top MN Sabah leaders, including two deputies and three vice leaders, still wish to remain members, and he would not make efforts to disband the state chapter.

Annuar, who has known Jismit for over 30 years and considers him a friend, revealed that Jismit had recently proposed transforming MN into a political party and suggested that Annuar become its president. However, Annuar voiced concern over this sudden shift, saying, “This proposal came just two weeks after he expressed confidence in my leadership. But then things changed abruptly.”

Annuar also noted that while the state MN has some autonomy, major decisions, such as dissolving the chapter, must be approved by the central leadership. He added that the state chapter could request funds to hold its activities, but as a civil society group, they are also free to raise funds through sponsorships.

He mentioned that a new leadership structure would be formed for MN Sabah, and the new leaders would need to propose their activities. Annuar also clarified that MN does not prevent any of its members from participating in politics or contesting elections under any political party, but stressed that MN will remain a civil society for now.

MN is civil society group in Malaysia, originally conceived as a platform for collaboration, focusing primarily on fostering unity among Malay-Muslim communities. Unlike political parties such as Umno or PAS, MN aims to maintain its non-political status. – August 31, 2024.