Hajiji Must Form Strong Cabinet To Ensure Stability — Analysts

By Rohana Nasrah and Lucia Terey Anak John

KOTA KINABALU, Dec 1 (Bernama) -- Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor must prioritise the stability of the new state government when deciding on his Cabinet line-up, according to analysts.

They said the slim victory of Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) in the 17th Sabah State Election made it necessary for Hajiji to cobble together a strong and stable coalition to ensure Sabah's progress.

The Hajiji-led GRS won 29 seats in the polls, short of the simple majority of 37 needed to form the state government.

Parti Warisan won the second most number of seats with 25, followed by Barisan Nasional (6), Independents (5), United Progressive Kinabalu Organisation (UPKO, 3), Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (STAR, 2), and Perikatan Nasional (PN), Parti Kesejahteraan Demokratik Masyarakat (KDM) and Pakatan Harapan (PH) with one seat each.

Political analyst Prof Datuk Dr Sivamurugan Pandian said the narrow win for GRS means the success of Hajiji’s administration depends on additional support from parties such as STAR and UPKO, the five victorious independent assemblymen and the sole PH assemblyman.

However, he believes that establishing a solid administrative structure would help maintain the support of the independents and smaller parties, allowing the new government to fully focus on Sabah’s development and fulfilment of state rights.

“Without a clear structure, support from Independents and small parties will remain fragile. But if he succeeds in uniting them under a stable administrative framework, the government will not only survive but will be able to focus effectively on development and Sabah rights,” he told Bernama.

Sivamurugan said among the matters requiring urgent attention are the implementation of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) and the 40 per cent state revenue entitlement, which he said could become a critical issue if left unresolved.

Meanwhile, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Sabah senior lecturer Dr Arvin Tajari said that in the current context, Hajiji must act wisely to ensure continued backing from parties which have pledged their support.

“The first challenge for the Chief Minister is to appoint the state Cabinet according to party composition. Another major challenge is ensuring the state budget is approved when tabled in the State Legislative Assembly,” he said.

According to Arvin, a coalition government does have its advantages, including the ability to represent diverse ethnic interests, ensuring every group’s voice can be heard more effectively.

However, he noted that a government formed without any party holding a simple majority is more vulnerable to collapse should it fail to meet or satisfy the interests of coalition partners.

“The Sabah Chief Minister must give each party that supports the coalition a place in the state Cabinet, based on the number of seats they have won. Warisan, meanwhile, must play its check-and-balance role in the assembly,” he said.

Universiti Malaysia Sabah's (UMS) Associate Prof Dr Syahruddin Awang Ahmad said Sabah’s political history has shown that stability is a costly commodity, with frequent changes of government before the end of their mandate.

However, he said the federal government’s continued focus on Sabah, such as increased development allocations, may help avoid prolonged crises.

Thus, Syahruddin, a deputy dean and UMS’s Sabah Geopolitics and Electoral Research Unit (GeoPes) researcher, said the most crucial task for Hajiji now is to aggressively and swiftly implement strong and transparent governance mechanisms, especially in the delivery of basic infrastructure.

“A fragile coalition government cannot rely solely on distribution of political power to survive; it must deliver tangible benefits to the people, akin to a ‘social contract’ with voters,” he said.

With state revenue reportedly rising to RM7 billion, Syahruddin said the funds must be translated into efficient and corruption-free project implementation, as failings in these areas are often used as ammunition by the opposition.

“The new Sabah government must also demonstrate measurable results in addressing these issues to secure continued public support, which in turn will ensure the state’s political stability,” he added.

-- BERNAMA