Musa Aman’s Tunship
Well, it looks like a done deal. In a deal struck between Premier Najib Tun Razak and Musa Aman during his recent visit to the state capital, Kota Kinabalu, Billionaire Musa Aman has reluctantly agreed to step down as Chief Minister of Sabah come this October.
The deal is like this.
Musa Aman will be made the new Sabah Yang Di-Pertua Negeri when the term of the present Sabah Yang Di-Pertua Negeri Tun Ahmadshah Abdullah ends year-end. Ahmadshah, who will turn 64, was appointed as Sabah’s ninth Yang Di-Pertua Negeri, replacing Tun Sakaran Dandai on Dec 2 2002, and its already 8 years for him or 2 terms as Governor of Sabah and “is on his last legs.”
Second, the Government will consider a proposal to bestow an award carrying the title “Tun” for Musa Aman. Hence, Musa Aman will be bestowed by the Agung the title of “Tun” which will be the highest civilian honour that can be granted to a Malaysian and Musa Aman probably could be the youngest recipient of this award in the Malaysian history. This is in recognition for the good work Musa has put in for UMNO in Sabah and his contributions to the success of the Barisan Nasional in Sabah in the March 8 2008, 12th General Elections, which is described as a “fixed deposit” by Premier Najib.
There are currently only 36 surviving Tuns in Malaysia and Musa Aman will be 37.
With the Tun tittle to his name, Musa will be protected from any legal actions against him as a Tun will have legal immunity and cannot be prosecuted.
So that’s the story.
So who will be the UMNO leadership’s nominee for Sabah chief minister after Musa Aman? Of course none from its coalition partners in Sabah.
Now lets take a look at the potential chief ministers and who are the chaps.
Perhaps a man who is a minister in the federal government – and it’s surely not Najib’s loyal blue-eyed boy Datuk Shafie Apdal the Federal Rural and Regional Development Minister who is expected to replace Musa Aman. For Shafie to succeed on the job, his image would have to be cleaned up. He has been much maligned for the issuing of identity cards to Suluks and illegals from Southern Philippines. He probably is not what propaganda about him tells the masses. The talk is if Shafie becomes chief minister close to 150,000 illegals from Southern Philippines might be moving into Sabah’s forest reserves. The man displayed pro southern Philippines illegal immigrant killer instinct. He single-handedly will be turning Sabah into another playground of Muslim interests from Southern Philippines. So, Shafie is out.
Although it’s still months away, there are already many hats in the ring. While Shafie Apdal the Najib’s loyal blue-eyed boy has made it clear he will not go back to state politics, other top leaders, including the Tuaran UMNO Division Chief Hajiji Noor who is also the Local Government and Housing Minister, Leader of Parti Bersatu Sabah and former chief minister Huguan Siou Joseph Pairin Kitingan, Karanaan Adun the Head of the Ranau UMNO Division Masidi Manjun who is the Minister of Tourism, Culture & Environment, and the senior UMNO man-Head of Papar UMNO Division Abdul Rahim Ismail are understood to be lobbying hard for the prized post.
