KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Muafakat Nasional chairman Jismit Japong does not have the authority to dissolve the non-governmental organisation (NGO), said MN president Tan Sri Annuar Musa.
As a result, he said, Sabah MN continues to function as usual under the committee members who remain with the NGO.
He said no one has the authority to dissolve MN Sabah because the appointments of state-level committee members were made by the MN central committee, not by the state chairman.
"What is important is that MN Sabah is not dissolved because no one has the power to do it.
"The state-level committee is appointed by the MN central committee. The key point is that the committee members are still there.
"I am open-minded and ready to meet with the committee.
"Sabah MN continues to operate as usual," he said during a press conference after the Sabah Pas Convention here today.
He was responding to Jismit's action to dissolve the state MN, allegedly supported by 30 committee members of the NGO in the state.
Annuar said the issue involving Sabah MN concerns and not the organisation as a whole.
"If certain individuals make decisions for personal reasons, it's their choice because this is a voluntary body, an NGO, not a political party.
"What matters is that MN continues its services, and it has been confirmed that the deputy chairman wants to continue, as does the vice-chairman of Sabah MN and many other committee members," he said.
Annuar also described Jismit's statement that the state committee had lost confidence in him as political, suggesting an attempt to turn MN into a political platform.
He reiterated that MN remains an NGO that focuses on unity, love, respect and refuses to become a political entity.
"Two weeks ago, the Sabah MN chairman sent me minutes from a meeting proposing that MN become the Muafakat Nasional Party.
"He had strong confidence in me, and then suddenly, after two weeks, he lost confidence.
"So, I want to know what caused that change in trust," he said.