At a press conference in Kota Kinabalu today, the first-time assemblyman said her resignation from the party is with immediate effect.

“I chose to join Harapan (Rakyat) as I believe we can bring more development to Tawau,” Rina told a press conference.

“The party works for the people of Tawau.”

Rina said she made the decision with a heavy heart after having been with the party for more than five years.

“I rose from the grassroots to the state legislative assembly.

“There is no need to think about issues such as power struggles and so on. I am focused on working for the people, and I am confident that I can help the people in my constituency through Harapan Rakyat,” she said.

Five Warisan elected representatives have also left the party since the 2020 Sabah state elections namely Lahad Datu MP cum Segama assemblyman Mohamaddin Ketapi, Melalap assemblyman Peter Anthony, Sebatik assemblyman Hassan A Gani Pg Amir, Sindumin assemblyman Yusof Yaacob, and Limbahau assemblyman Juil Nuatim.

The opposition bloc has 26 seats in the state legislative assembly, with Warisan filling up 18 of those seats. The government bloc has 52 seats.

Harapan Rakyat president Liew Yun Fah was present to accept Rina’s application to join the party, which is supportive of the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah-Barisan Nasional government.

Rina won the Kukusan seat at the state elections in September 2020 with a mere 10-vote majority garnering 2,834 votes defeating Barisan Nasional’s Chaya Sulaiman in a seven-cornered fight.

Kukusan was one of the 13 new seats added in the last state elections.

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