The trio are Mohammad Mohamarin (the member for Banggi), Chong Chen Bin (Tanjong Kapor) and Norazlina Arif (Kunak).

They said they will sit in the state assembly as independent members.

With their support, GRS can count on 47 votes in the 79-member state assembly. The opposition bench now comprises Warisan (16), Barisan Nasional-Umno (13), and KDM with 3 seats.

In a joint statement, the trio said: “The time has come to put an end to political polemics and actions that create instability in the government, as it affects efforts to develop the state and the people.”

They said they would work with the chief minister and the state government on Sabah’s development, and increase its revenue through the Sabah Maju Jaya development plan.

The departure of the trio comes two months after Warisan president Shafie Apdal had denied reports on social media that assembly members were leaving the party.

He said in December that “Warisan remains strong and stable” and dismissed talk of departures from Warisan as “a malicious attempt of deceit to topple the party”.

Mohammad, Chong and Norazlina said they had decided on quitting Warisan after considering several aspects including the sentiment of grassroot members, and would relinquish all party posts at divisional and Supreme Council levels.

All three had been re-elected for a second term at the 2020 state elections.

Mohammad won in Banggi with a narrow 703-vote majority over his closest rival Akram Ismail of Barisan Nasional and four others.

Chong won in Tajong Kapor with a 1,897-vote majority over Norlizah Gurahman of Perikatan Nasional and three other candidates.

Norazlina also won a narrow victory in Kunak, with a 589-vote majority over Halid Harun of Barisan Nasional and four others.

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