Shafie needs more time to consider 'Shafie for PM' proposal

By Olivia Miwil - June 29, 2020 @ 12:08pm

PENAMPANG: Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal needs more time before he can give a decision on being nominated as a potential candidate for the Prime Minister's post.

Mohd Shafie, who is also Parti Warisan Sabah (Warisan) president said he appreciates the gesture shown by former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad in endorsing him.

"It is historical that a national political figure mentioned me, but it is just a suggestion.

"Give me some time to discuss in depth with other members, but it will not be immediately and not too long," he said, hinting that the decision would probably be made by the next Parliament sitting next month.

Mohd Shafie was speaking to reporters after visiting Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Agama Kota Kinabalu and SMK Datuk Peter Mojuntin, here.

Present were Sabah Education and Innovation minister Datuk Dr Yusof Yacob and his assistant Jenifer Lasimbang, state Education director Dr Mistrine Radin as well as Penampang member of parliament Datuk Darell Leiking.

Mohd Shafie said that he was not being indecisive over the matter, but he needed more time as the state requires more attention presently in terms of political instability, nation building, among others.

As for the broken promises on bringing Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) into Sabah, which the party's former chairman Dr Mahathir had agreed not to do during the last general election, Mohd Shafie said that it was done according to a decision made at the Bersatu level.

"But when I proposed for my colleagues to be in the federal (government), three were made ministers - Datuk Darell Leiking, Datuk VK Liew and Datuk Mohammadin Ketapi.

"Out of the 20 points of the Malaysia Agreement 1963, we have achieved 17 of them," he added.

Mohd Shafie said as a politician with more than 30 years of experience and having been involved in seven ministries, he would not simply say "bye bye" to Sabah for a position offered to him but would take time to consider many factors before making any moves.

Meanwhile, Mohd Shafie added that the state government has distributed 750,000 face masks and 60,000 sanitisers to 221 schools in the state.

The state government will be distributing another 1 million face masks for all schools next month.