SABAH could have averted another chief minister crisis if the federal government had implemented the anti-hopping law, outgoing Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) president Joseph Pairin Kitingan said.

He said the idea for an anti-hopping law was shot down when PBS pushed for it, but should be introduced now if Malaysia demands political stability.

“So there should have a review over this matter cause if Malaysia wants stability. We tried to introduce the anti-hopping law before, but the Barisan Nasional federal government was against that, stating it goes against freedom of association,” he said.

Sabah is witnessing its third chief minister crisis unfolding following the May 9 polls.
 
Former Sabah chief minister Musa Aman has claimed that he is the rightful chief minister and challenged Parti Warisan Sabah leader Shafie Apdal’s appointment to the same post in court.

Both men were sworn in two days from each other, with Musa on May 10 while Shafie on May 12 after Musa lost his majority.

“It is not a situation PBS wants again. This is going for the third time. Of course Musa is challenging this. The legal process is done so we now wait for the court to decide,” said Pairin, noting the two earlier constitutional crises had involved PBS and himself.

The trial is set to start on October 26.

The first Sabah chief minister crisis happened following the 1984 general election, resulting in riots and forcing the winning party, PBS, to call for a snap poll.

It was around this period PBS lawmakers tried to enact the anti-hopping law.

PBS won the poll and formed the government. In 1994, the defection of many PBS elected representatives caused the collapse of the PBS government.

It also marked the start of Umno and Barisan Nasional rule in Sabah.

The anti-hopping law was mentioned again in 2008 by former Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Zaid Ibrahim, but never gained traction.

When asked why PBS was not the party it was once were in the mid-80s and 90s, Pairin said the 33-year old party remains strong as before, but the toughest challenge had been to please the party members.

“I recalled when PBS decided to collaborate with Semangat 46 led by Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, all the division and grassroots leaders were 100% behind the decision, but when the party collapsed after the 1994 polls, everyone blamed me for making a mistake to go against BN.

“But when we were finally in BN again, of course it was a good thing at first, but when BN suffered heavy losses in the 14th general election, the grassroots leaders were angry at me again, asking why PBS stayed in BN.

“There is no pleasing them,” he said.

Pairin recently handed over the divisional chief post to PBS vice president Daniel Kinsik, signalling he is now serious about retiring from politics after talking about it for the last three years.

He is expected to pass the leadership baton to deputy president Maximus Ongkili soon.

Ongkili recently announced PBS will be forming its own political bloc, saying that Sabah Umno is taking too long to make the decision to be in Gabungan Bersatu Sabah, the new bloc proposed by Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku president Jeffrey Kitingan, who is Pairin’s younger brother.

In a statement, Ongkili also welcomed independent MP Kimanis Anifah Aman, who had just resigned from all his Umno posts to join PBS. – October 3, 2018.