KOTA KINABALU: Sabah will always remember the contributions of its former governor Tun Sakaran Dandai who passed away early Monday (Aug 30) from Covid-19, says Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor (pic).

       He said Sakaran, 91 who was also a former chief minister, was a political icon and his contributions to the people of Sabah in were politics as well as in various government and religious aspects.

       “On behalf of the state government as well as my family, I wish to convey my deepest condolences to Tun Sakaran and his family, especially to Toh Puan Siti Rukaiyah Abdullah on the demise of her beloved husband,” he said in a statement here.

       Hajiji prayed for blessings on his soul, and that he may be placed among the righteous.

       He also called up the family to be strong in times of challenges such as this.

       Sakaran had been in the intensive care unit of Gleneagles Hospital after being warded for the virus on Aug 19.

       Sakaran was Umno's first chief minister in Sabah in 1994 and was the Yang di-Pertua Negeri from 1995-2003 before retiring.

       He held other important posts before this including being the first Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) chancellor.

       He was also awarded the national level 1439H Maal Hijrah icon and was the Semporna MP for a few terms.