Former rural and regional development minister Mohd Shafie Apdal said he never had any ambitions to be the chief minister of Sabah and that he had once rejected the offer from Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.

Shafie, who is now the Parti Warisan Sabah (warisan) president pointed out that he would have contested in a state seat if he wanted to become chief minister, and not in a parliamentary seat.

This comes after Najib said yesterday that a former federal minister, who now heads an opposition party, had requested for the Sabah chief minister position.

He had said the request was made to fulfill the personal ambition of that former minister.

Though he did not mention names, it is believed he was referring to Shafie.