KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 13 — The status of the five Sabah Umno assemblymen who broke ranks to support Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor is in question after the Malay nationalist party amended its constitution today.
The amendment bars Umno members from supporting or joining any coalition that is not endorsed by the party.
It was tabled by Umno vice-president Datuk Mohd Khaled Nordin in an emergency motion right after president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi delivered his policy speech at the party’s 2022 general assembly at the World Trade Centre this morning.
The amendment sees a change to Clause 20.11 of the Umno constitution, which states that a member who wins an election or runs as an independent, and later leaves the party will automatically forfeit his seat in the Dewan Rakyat or State Legislative Assembly.
The new amendment sees the addition of two sub-clauses.
The first is Clause 20.11.1, which further specifies that an Umno member who has been elected as an MP or as an assemblyman and subsequently joins a political alliance that is not part of Umno, or chooses to become an independent will automatically forfeit his seat.
The second addition is Clause 20.11.2, which automatically strips the membership of any Umno member who runs in an election as an independent or joins any political alliance that is not affiliated with the party.
The Umno constitutional amendments were made following the leadership tussle in Sabah, which saw five out of 17 Umno assemblymen breaking party ranks to side with Hajiji who is Gabungan Rakyat Sabah chief.
The five Umno assemblymen also publicly called for state party leader Datuk Seri Bung Mokhtar Radin’s resignation.
The quintet are: Datuk Shahelmey Yahya Shahelmey, who is Tanjung Keramat assemblyman and also Putatan MP; Datuk James Ratib (Sugut); Datuk Dr Yusof Yacob (Sindumin); Datuk Jasnih Daya (Pantai Dalit); and Datuk Arshad Bistari (Tempasuk).
At the Umno assembly here today, Bung said the fate of the five dissidents will be determined by the party.
“It will be determined by the party. What the party can do for the five who acted unexpectedly,” he told reporters after the Umno constitution amendment was passed.
Two days ago, Bung said Sabah Umno does not recognise the two new appointments involving its assemblymen, including the Deputy Chief Minister’s position, in the new state Cabinet line-up.
He said Shahelmey and James did not represent the party.
Bung added that the dissidents will be referred to the Umno disciplinary board at the national level as their move undermined the party and the Barisan Nasional coalition.
The Sabah chapter of Umno was established in 1995 and given autonomy in 2019.
One more amendment to the Umno constitution today was to Clause 8.4, which automatically allows division information chiefs to be made delegates at the party general assembly.
