Armizan said if Sabah aspired to be as strong as Sarawak, its leaders must choose unity over divisive and vindictive politics.
“If we want to be like Sarawak, we need unity and solidarity among Sabah’s leaders.
“When it comes to the question of who should be chief minister, to me it’s Hajiji because he tries to bring everyone together, even those who once betrayed him,” he said in the latest episode of the Lebih Masa podcast hosted by former PKR vice-president Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad.
Armizan, the domestic trade and cost of living minister, was responding to a question about potential candidates for the post of Sabah chief minister in the next state election.
He said Hajiji’s emphasis on unity was also one of the reasons Pakatan Harapan (PH) had chosen to work with GRS in Sabah instead of Warisan, led by Shafie Apdal, despite forming the state government together in 2018.
“PH assemblymen decided to stick with Hajiji rather than Shafie. They felt more comfortable with Hajiji’s unifying spirit compared to divisive, vindictive politics.
“Hajiji is perceived as carrying the banner of unity, drawing everyone together,” he said.
Armizan also said that GRS wanted to uphold a model where the state government is led by local parties rather than national ones, saying Sabah’s issues would be easier to address that way.
“That doesn’t mean we reject cooperation with national parties. Take Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, for example – although PKR and PH are present in Sabah, when it comes to Sabah-related matters, discussions are only between Anwar and Hajiji,” he said.
On another matter, Armizan, who is also the Papar MP, said the death of 13-year-old Zara Qairina Mahathir had impacted Sabah politics as some parties had tried to politicise the tragedy.
He said the case was a lesson for the government to act swiftly and communicate clearly with the public.
“This case has opened everyone’s eyes. When lives are at stake, statements and actions must immediately follow,” he said.
Zara was confirmed dead at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Kota Kinabalu on July 17 after she was found unconscious in a drain near her school hostel in Papar at 4am the day before.
On Aug 13, the Attorney-General’s Chambers ordered an inquest after reviewing the police investigation report.