BN chairman Bung Moktar Radin said the BN-Umno decision left Hajiji without a majority in the state assembly and he “is no longer fit to be the chief minister”.

Bung was reluctant to reveal BN’s next move but said the coalition was willing to work with any sincere party that wanted to form the next government.

BN’s decision to retract support for Hajiji follows a report of a new coup attempt to oust the chief minister and replace him with Bung.

Hajiji’s government had relied on the support of 53 assembly members from Hajiji’s Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (29 seats), BN (17 seats) and Pakatan Harapan (7) and could also count on 6 members from minor parties as allies. Warisan (19 seats) forms the state opposition.

A simple majority of 40 seats in the 79-member state assembly is needed to form a new government.

Bung said Hajiji, who is chairman of Gabungan Rakyat Sabah, had violated a pact with BN, Parti Bersatu Sabah and Perikatan Nasional after the state elections in 2020.

He said BN and Umno assemblymen had then agreed to back Hajiji as chief minister as long as the state Cabinet included BN and Umno representatives.

BN and Umno members must also be appointed to top posts in government-owned companies.

“But this understanding was violated by Hajiji when he sacked Salleh Said Keruak as the Qhazanah Sabah Berhad chairman without discussing it with me. He also announced a Cabinet reshuffle without consulting us,” he said at a press conference here tonight.

Salleh, a former federal minister and a former chief minister, was also present.

Bung also said that Hajiji had no locus standi to remain as chief minister after having quit Bersatu, the key member of Perikatan Nasional.

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