MOHD Shafie Apdal said he opted to face an election in Sabah as he wanted the people to decide on their government instead of caving in to the horse-trading of assemblymen.

The caretaker chief minister and Warisan president said his administration had faced intimidation, harassment and buy-offs ever since Perikatan Nasional (PN) took over the federal government in March.

“I wouldn’t like to dissolve the assembly as we are facing lots of problems in the country.

“But when I look at things, the way they do things, let the people decide (on the government),” Shafie said in an interview with BFM’s Breakfast Grille this morning.

He alleged that some Warisan assemblymen were intimidated by tax collectors, including by harassing them at their houses.

“All sorts of intimidation and harassment were done. YBs were forced to move houses. They even made police reports. One of the YBs affected was Jennifer Lasimbang,” Shafie said referring to Warisan’s Moyog state assemblyman.

He also disputed claims made by his rival Musa Aman of having a simple majority to form government.

Shafie said he had a signed declaration from 45 assemblymen to support him.

“Announcements were made and they said they have numbers. They didn’t have numbers. I have 45 state assemblymen signed in front of me,” he said.

Shafie also was impressed with his Warisan colleagues, who never swayed despite temptations. 

“Out of the YBs who shifted, none of them were my YBs. Not a single one of them from Warisan. It touched me.

“Despite the inducement, the temptations they received. They didn’t budge,” he said, adding that Musa only claimed to have the numbers due to the defection of three lawmakers, two from PKR and another from DAP. 

Shafie asked Juhar to dissolve the state assembly on July 29 after Musa sought to take over the government on the basis he had a simple majority of 33 in the state assembly.

This followed the defection of 13 assemblymen.

The current legislative assembly has 60 elected and five appointed representatives.

The state elections to come will have 73 seats up for grabs, after state and federal lawmakers last year approved the addition of 13 more seats in Sabah. – August 7, 2020.