KOTA KINABALU: Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Hajiji Haji Noor has taken Parti Warisan to task for dragging the Istana Negeri institution into its political games and misrepresentations. He stated that recent social media postings by Warisan leaders Datuk Darell Leiking and Datuk Azis Jamman, which questioned the Head of State (TYT) Tun Musa Aman’s official birthday celebration, reek of bad intentions.
“As Chief Minister, I am duty-bound to protect and defend the institution of the Istana, irrespective of who is the Governor. Clearly, politics have clouded their (Darell and Azis) judgement, as they fail to differentiate between the fundamental roles of government, politics, and the Istana. The institution of the Istana is apolitical and should not be dragged into Warisan’s street politics of lies and deception,” he said.
Hajiji clarified that initially, Tun Musa had even considered not holding any celebrations this year since the official TYT’s birthday has been gazetted for March 30, which coincides with Hari Raya celebrations. “In fact, Tun Musa also did not want to burden those involved in organising the celebrations, especially given the short timeframe and the unnecessary costs it would incur. However, as Chief Minister, I believe that any decision made must be discussed at the State Cabinet,” he explained.
After much deliberation, the Cabinet ultimately agreed that a celebration should be held this year in line with the conventions and traditions of the Istana. Consequently, it was decided that the celebration would take place in June, albeit in moderation, in accordance with Tun Musa’s wishes and advice.
To that end, he noted that the number of events has been reduced from 12 in 2024 to only seven this year, effectively decreasing the budget by approximately 30 percent. Hajiji remarked that both Darell and Azis had previously been part of the government and should understand the complexities involved in preparing for the TYT’s birthday.-pr/BNN
