KOTA KINABALU, Oct 4 — Former Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Wilfred M Bumburing is the latest Kadazandusun Murut (KDM) leader supporting the proposal by the Kadazandusun Cultural Association (KDCA) to appoint Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan as the next Governor of Sabah.

Bumburing said the proposal is appropriate, timely and should be supported by the all Sabahans.

In a statement today, the former Tuaran member of parliament from 2008 to 2013 said: "Pairin is the most senior and experienced candidate and fitting for the Sabah governor’s post. He is a former Chief Minister and Member of Parliament besides being the Huguan Siou or Paramount Leader of the Kadazandusun community, the title bestowed upon him by the Kadazan Dusun Cultural Association.

"It is a clear and straightforward understanding of the Sabah Constitution and Federal Constitution that religion is not a criteria for anyone to be nominated as the Sabah Governor. The head of Islam religion in Sabah is the Agong and not the TYT. The Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) also guarantees religious freedom for Sabah in the formation of Malaysia,” he added.

Bumburing who is the president of Angkatan Perpaduan Sabah (APS) also said that while the voices of the people of Sabah and the State government are increasingly vocal in asking the Federal government to fulfil the issues laid down in the MA63 as the prelude to the formation of Malaysia in 1963, it is equally important and necessary also for the Sabah government itself to ratify and implement every important aspect of the provision of the State Constitution and MA63 including the criteria of appointing someone as the the Governor of Sabah.

"This proposal for Pairin to be appointed the next TYT should be done in the same spirit as done to the late Tun Leong Yew Koh, a Chinese and non-Muslim, who was appointed as the first TYT of Melaka in 1957,” Bumburing concluded.

Recently, KDCA has proposed Pairin as the first non-Muslim native governor in the state to replace Tun Juhar Mahiruddin who would be ending his term.

The proposal has received support from Sabah leaders Datuk Ewon Benedick, Datuk Seri Wilfred Madius Tangau as well as the Sabah Indigenous Peoples Organisation.

However, Sabah Syarie Lawyers President Abdul Razak Jamil disagreed.

Abdul Razak pointed out in a statement on Sunday that although the Sabah State Constitution does not clearly state the religion of the Head of State, but considering that the official religion of the State of Sabah is Islam as stated in Article 5 (A) of the Sabah State Constitution, then by "

"convention” and appropriate that the Head of State is a Muslim.

"The Head of State, by convention, will carry out the duties and represent the Yang di-Pertuan Agong in issues of management and administration of the Islamic religion in this state.

"Therefore, the appointed Head of State must be a Muslim to carry out these duties,” Abdul Razak stressed.

Meanwhile, a meeting between Pairin with Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor has sparked talks in social media about the former’s appointment as the next governor.

The meeting at Hajiji’s office in Menara Kinabalu yesterday was posted on Hajiji’s Facebook page, where he wished Pairin good health.

Hajiji has yet to officially comment on the suggestion for the 82-year-old Pairin as a potential choice for Sabah TYT post that has traditionally been held by a native Muslim community member.

Juhar is on his third term since his appointment in 2011.

Others speculated for the governor position are former chief minister Tan Sri Musa Aman and former Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia. — Borneo Post