KOTA KINABALU: Kadazandusun Cultural Association (KDCA) is proposing Huguan Siou or Kadazandusun Murut (KDM) paramount leader Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan as the next Yang diPertua Negeri Sabah (TYT).
KDCA secretary general Suman Yasambun said the association would like to nominate a candidate from the Kadazandusun community to be considered by the government for the position.
"Other reasons KDCA would like to nominate him as a candidate is because he has served as chief minister of Sabah.
"The KDM community has appointed him as a great leader by giving him the title "Huguan Siou"," he said in a press conference.
Suman said based on the Sabah State Constitution Article 1, such a position should be filled by a qualified figure.
Among other conditions, a TYT must be a Malaysian citizen. does not hold paid positions and engage in a profitable business.
He said nomination for the post was made by taking into account the provisions of Article I of the Sabah State Constitution, which does not stipulate the requirements of the religious beliefs of the office of the Yang di-Pertua Negeri Sabah.
"This position is in line with one of Sabah's conditions for joining Malaysia in 1963 (MA63), where Sabah is free to religion."
Suman said Pairin was aware of the nomination and opened to the idea.
KDCA would present the proposal after getting feedbacks from relevant stakeholders and the public.
Tun Juhar Mahiruddin was appointed as the 10th Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Sabah in 2010.
He was sworn in once again for his second term in 2015 and reappointed the third time in 2018.
In 2018, Sabah Legislative Assembly had passed an amendment on State Constitution to remove the term limits for Yang di-Pertua Negeri.