Warisan secretary-general Loretto Padua Jr said Siambun’s statement was his personal view and not the party’s stand.

“We respect his views but what is important now is that we focus on the issues the people of Sabah face.

“Warisan has never discussed the issue of the next Sabah governor and fully trusts in the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s wisdom to choose what is best for Sabah and Sabahans,” he said in a statement.

Yesterday, Siambun said Malanjum was suitable for the Sabah governor’s post as he was a distinguished Sabahan with an exceptional track record which displayed his commitment to justice and unity.

He added that having Malanjum as governor would reflect Sabah’s identity as a harmoniously diverse state and would further foster unity.

The tenure of the current Sabah governor Juhar Mahiruddin expires at the end of the year. A former Kinabatangan MP from Umno, Juhar has been the Bornean state’s governor since 2011.

Malanjum was the first East Malaysian to be named as head of the Malaysian judiciary after Pakatan Harapan took control of the federal government in 2018. He retired in April 2019.

During the 2020 Sabah state election, Malanjum campaigned for the Warisan Plus coalition, which at the time comprised Warisan and PH.