Umno’s Shahelmey won’t appeal 6-year suspension

Umno’s Shahelmey won’t appeal 6-year suspension

Putatan MP says he is focused on his duties as a Sabah deputy chief minister.

Shahelmey Yahya was suspended by Umno last month for refusing to toe the party line during an attempt to oust Sabah chief minister Hajiji Noor earlier this year.
GEORGE TOWN:
Shahelmey Yahya, who was among the five Sabah Umno assemblymen who refused to support an attempt to topple Sabah chief minister Hajiji Noor, says he will not appeal his six-year suspension from the party.

The Putatan MP said he will serve out his suspension.

“I am focused on my duties,” the Sabah deputy chief minister told reporters after an event here.

Asked if he was considering joining Hajiji’s Gagasan Rakyat, Shahelmey said he would make an announcement later.

He also hit out at Sabah Umno chief Bung Moktar Radin for branding the three assemblymen who were sacked from the party as “losers”.

The trio, James Ratib (Sugut), Arsad Bistari (Tempasuk) and Jasnih Daya (Pantai Dalit) were recently sacked for backing Hajiji in the attempted coup by Sabah Barisan Nasional.

Shahelmey said it was wrong for Bung to call them losers.

“I believe that the three of them acted based on their principles when deciding against taking part in the coup led by Bung and his gang.”

Separately, Shahelmey said the state government would get the relevant authorities to explain why the report on the Double Six tragedy – which claimed the lives of then Sabah chief minister Fuad Stephens and 10 others – had been classified under the Official Secrets Act.

“There are some questions raised on why it (report) was kept classified for so long if there was no sabotage (element in the crash).”

Yesterday, former Penampang MP Donald Peter Mojuntin asked why the report was kept secret for 47 years when it was “harmless” and offered a “simple reason” for the crash.

Donald is the son of then housing and local government minister Peter Mojuntin who was onboard the fatal flight.

The declassified report stated there was no evidence that sabotage, fire or an explosion had caused the tragic 1976 plane crash.

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