Tanjung Keramat assemblyman Shahelmey Yahya called for the state’s elected representatives to instead focus on developing the state.

He added that the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah-led (GRS) state administration had performed “fairly well” in the last two years.

“This is shown by the increase in state revenues in the past two years, from RM5 billion to RM6.6 billion last year.

“We have also succeeded in attracting investors with a total investment of more than RM33 billion.

“So, why should we change the government without any concrete reasons?” he said.

Shahelmey was commenting on the current political uncertainty in the state following Sabah Barisan Nasional (BN) and Umno last night retracting their support for Hajiji as chief minister on the grounds he violated a pact with BN, Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) and Perikatan Nasional (PN) after the state elections in September 2020.

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

Shahelmey, who is state community development and people’s well-being minister, said he did not support the move by Bung, adding that he did not attend the party’s meeting last night.

“Now is not the time to play politics. Now is the time to work, to develop the economy and the state,” he said. “That is why I didn’t attend (the meeting).”

He said four other Sabah Umno assemblymen did not attend last night’s press conference at the Sabah Umno building. They were James Ratib (Sugut), Yusuf Yacob (Sulaman), Jasmih Daya (Pantai Dalit) and Arsad Bistari (Tampasak).

Bung had been reported as saying that stern action will be taken against the five absent assemblymen for going against the party’s order.

Shahelmey said it was the party’s right to take action against him and that he was ready to face the consequences.