Politics

Zahid: Umno supreme council to decide fate of Sabah dissidents

KOTA KINABALU: The fate of Sabah Umno dissidents who had thrown their support for Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor will be decided by the Umno Supreme Council.

Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the party had discussed the issue and has a mechanism in place.

"We have a method to solve the issue as we have the party's disciplinary board.

"Due process will be conducted by the board. We will let the supreme council deal with the situation.

"I think an amicable solution will be announced later," he said after chairing the special meeting at the state Umno building here today.

Zahid said that there was no dilemma for the party in terms of acting against the dissidents but it has to be seen as fair.

He added that Umno must be seen doing justice to each of its members.

"We have heard everybody's view and I appreciate the differences in the views," he said.

Last month, Sabah Barisan Nasional chief Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin, who is also state Umno chief, had pulled out the party's support for Hajiji's administration, triggering a leadership crisis in the state.

However, five Umno assemblymen refused to join Bung Moktar in withdrawing support for Hajiji.

They were Datuk Shahelmey Yahya (Tanjung Keramat), Datuk Dr Yusof Yacob (Sindumin), Datuk Jasnih Daya (Pantai Dalit), Datuk Arsad Bistari (Tempasuk), and Datuk James Ratib (Sugut).

Two Umno members - Bengkoka assemblyman Datuk Harun Durabi and Tanjung Batu's Datuk Andi Suryady Bandy, who had initially supported Bung, were retained as assistant ministers in Hajiji's reshuffled cabinet.

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