Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Hajiji bin Haji Noor (Jawi: عزيزي بن نور; born 10 May 1955) is a Malaysian politician who has served as the 16th Chief Minister of Sabah since 2020 and Member of the Sabah State Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Sulaman since 1990. He is also the first official chairman of political coalition party in Sabah, the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah Party (GRS Party) and 3rd President of the Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah (GAGASAN).
عزيزي نور
Assumed office
29 September 2020
Governor
Deputy
Preceded by
1st State Chairman of the
Malaysian United Indigenous Party of Sabah
In office
6 April 2019 – 10 December 2022
Deputy
National President
National Chairman
Preceded by
Position established
Succeeded by
1st Chairman of the
Gabungan Rakyat Sabah
Assumed office
11 March 2022
Deputy
Preceded by
Position established
3rd President of the
Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah
Assumed office
5 February 2023
Deputy
Vice President
Preceded by
Stephen Jacob Jimbangan
Ministerial roles (Sabah)
1994
Assistant Minister of Youth and Sports
1994–1996
Assistant Minister of Industrial Development
1996–1999
Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister's Department
1999–2002
Assistant Minister of Industrial Development
2002–2004
Assistant Minister of Finance
2004–2018
Minister of Housing and Local Government
2018
Deputy Chief Minister
Minister of Infrastructure Development
Faction represented in Sabah State Legislative Assembly
1990–2018
2018–2019
2019–2020
2020–2022
2020–
Gabungan Rakyat Sabah Party
(political coalition member)
Personal details
Born
(1955-05-10) 10 May 1955 (age 69)[1]
Kampung Serusup, Tuaran, Crown Colony of North Borneo (now Sabah, Malaysia)
Political party
Other political
affiliations
Spouse
Juliah Salag
Relations
Hajah Laireh
(cousin)
University of New Hampshire (BSc)
Occupation
Known for
He was appointed Chief Minister in late September 2020 after his coalition, Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS), won 38 out of the 73 seats, in which 37 seats needed for a simple majority in the 2020 state election. His administration was further strengthened after three independent members of state legislative assembly (MLAs) pledged their support for the state government. [2]
Hajiji was born in Kampung Serusup, Tuaran as the second of three children of Noor Harun and Teruyah Omar. He firstly attended the Serusup Native Primary School (SK Serusup) for his primary education in 1961 before going for his secondary education in Tuaran District Government Secondary School – now known as Badin Secondary School (SMK Badin) – in 1967. After getting 15 aggregates in Lower Certificate of Education examination, he was transferred to St. John's Secondary School in 1972 and excelled in Malaysian Certificate of Education examination as one of the best students in Tuaran after his high school graduation in 1974.[citation needed]
Hajiji started his career as a public servant in 1976. He was tasked to be a radio announcer at Radio Televisyen Malaysia before being appointed as Assistant Development Officer at Tuaran District Office from 1977 to 1982.[citation needed]
Hajiji entered politics in 1990 as he contested in the 8th general election as a candidate for Sulaman state constituency representing United Sabah National Organisation (USNO) and subsequently won. He was appointed as Political Secretary to Deputy Prime Minister Ghafar Baba from 1992 to 1993. He was also member of the Bank Rakyat's board of directors from 1991 to 1994.[citation needed]
He joined United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) in 1994 following the dissolution of USNO. He became Tuaran Division Chief a year after until 2018 as well as Treasurer of UMNO Sabah from 2001 to 2018. He remained as an Assembly Member for Sulaman for six terms and is currently serving the seventh term after defeating two other candidates from Sabah Heritage Party (Warisan) and Love Sabah Party (PCS) in the recent state election.[3]
He was appointed as Assistant Minister of State at the Ministry of Youth and Sports (for some times in 1994), Ministry of Industrial Development (1994 to 1996, and then 1999 to 2001), Chief Minister's Department (1996 to 1999) and Ministry of Finance (2001 to 2004). He was promoted as Minister of State for Housing and Local Government from 2004 to 2018 and as Deputy Chief Minister in the Ministry of Infrastructure Development for two days post 14th general election.
Following the fall of BN in Sabah in 2018,[4] he was appointed Sabah UMNO Liaison Chairman. He later joined Malaysian United Indigenous Party (BERSATU) in 2018 and serves as the State chairman for Sabah since 2019.[5] Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin nominated Hajiji as Chief Minister if PN win the next state election.[6] Consequently, GRS, in which PN is a member, won the recent state election and moved to Governor Juhar Mahiruddin to name Hajiji as the next Chief Minister,[7] in which the nomination was affirmed by Juhar the day before Hajiji's swearing-in.[8]
In March 2022, Hajiji became the first official chairman of the registered political coalition party in Sabah, named Gabungan Rakyat Sabah Party (GRS Party). The GRS under Hajiji's leadership then formed a unity government with Pakatan Harapan (PH), Barisan Nasional (BN), Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) and other parties in the aftermath of the 15th Malaysian General Election.[9] On 10 December 2022, Hajiji and other BERSATU Sabah leaders leave BERSATU and become direct members of GRS .
On 7 January 2023, a political crisis began when Hajiji Noor lost support from 13 Sabah UMNO member due to the breach of agreement of GRS-PN-BN thus his is no longer the Chief Minister of Sabah with confirmed majority support from the Sabah House of Legislative Assembly and will be continuing to hold this position until the new Chief Minister is elected. [10] On 29 January 2023, Hajiji Noor announced to lead Sabah People's Idea Party (PGRS). He said PGRS will be used to continue the struggle as a local party in Sabah. He added, this is also intended to ensure that no more people deny the existence of the Chief Minister of Sabah and to stop the 2023 Sabah political crisis. PGRS was also accepted by the GRS coalition as a component party on 9 December 2022.[11] In May 2023, Hajiji Noor become the first Chief Minister of Sabah that successfully got the full majority to approved the Anti-Party Hopping Bill in Sabah for both Parliament and State Legislative Assembly.[12]
Hajiji is married to Juliah Salag and has four children namely Mohd. Reza, Khairil Anuar, Nur Diyana and Mohd. Ghazali.
Year
Constituency
Votes
Pct
Opponent(s)
Votes
Pct
Ballots cast
Majority
Turnout
1990
N11 Sulaman
Hajiji Noor (USNO)
3,575
43.91%
3,294
40.46%
8,202
281
80.02%
Kalakau Untol (AKAR)
565
6.94%
538
6.61%
Shafie Anterak (PRS)
120
1.47%
Yusof Awang Ludin (IND)
38
0.47%
Laugan Tarki Noor (IND)
11
0.14%
1994
Hajiji Noor (UMNO)
5,016
54.02%
Matbee Ismail (PBS)
4,140
44.59%
9,365
876
79.56%
Pengiran Othman Rauf (IND)
69
0.74%
Margaret Kimon (SETIA)
60
0.65%
1999
N10 Sulaman
Hajiji Noor (UMNO)
6,571
61.50%
Rakam Sijim (PBS)
3,127
29.27%
10,799
3,444
77.31%
Mohammed Daud Abdullah (BERSEKUTU)
886
8.29%
Hamdin Adb. Kadir (SETIA)
100
0.94%
2004
Hajiji Noor (UMNO)
7,065
66.35%
Ansari Abdullah (keADILan)
3,583
33.65%
12,997
3,482
72.54%
2008
Hajiji Noor (UMNO)
8,961
71.88%
Ansari Abdullah (PKR)
3,505
28.12%
12,770
5,456
79.44%
2013
Hajiji Noor (UMNO)
13,065
78.73%
Ghulabidin Enjih (PKR)
2,624
15.80%
17,044
10,441
87.10%
Ali Akbar Kawi (IND)
615
3.71%
David Orok (STAR)
225
1.36%
Arifin Harith (IND)
66
0.40%
2018
Hajiji Noor (UMNO)
12,966
69.62%
Abdullah Sani Daud (WARISAN)
5,192
27.87%
19,055
7,774
84.30%
Arifin Harith (PHRS)
467
2.51%
2020
N12 Sulaman
Hajiji Noor (BERSATU Sabah)
5,919
65.83%
2,820
31.36%
8,992
3,099
76.78%
Rekan Hussien (PCS)
253
2.81%
Chief Minister of Sabah
2020–
Incumbent