SABAH Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor has withdrawn a remark he made against Kapayan assemblyman Chin Tek Ming during a previous sitting of the Sabah State Legislative Assembly (DUN), after being given the opportunity to do so by the Deputy Speaker.

The remark, recorded in the official Hansard dated April 30, 2026, saw Hajiji referring to the opposition assemblyman by saying, “This is a lawyer, but he has a crazy brain.”

Deputy Speaker Datuk Al-Hambra Tun Juhar invited Hajiji to retract the statement before the commencement of yesterday’s sitting.

“I withdraw the statement that I made during the DUN sitting on April 30,” Hajiji said.

The withdrawal came after Chin cited the Hansard and urged the chair to uphold the Standing Orders, arguing that the remark had undermined the dignity of an elected representative.

“I refer to the Hansard dated April 30, 2026, page 152, where the Honourable Chief Minister referred to me by saying, ‘This is a lawyer, but he has a crazy brain’.

“Mr Speaker, I can accept criticism of my arguments, but I cannot accept an insult to the dignity of a Member of this House.

“Debates in this House should be answered with facts and arguments, not with insulting words. More importantly, such words came from the Chief Minister himself.

“If the Chief Minister himself uses such language without any action being taken, what message are we sending to the people? That insults are valued more highly than reasoned arguments, and that the Standing Orders apply only to certain Members?

“I respectfully but firmly request that Mr Speaker uphold Standing Order 43(4) by directing the Honourable Chief Minister to withdraw those words unconditionally. The dignity of this House depends on our willingness to uphold its rules,” he said. – July 22, 2026