Graft root of Sabah's woes
Published on: Thursday, May 08, 2025
Published on: Thu, May 08, 2025
By: David Thien Text Size: Chin (second left) and Lo (second right) during that podcast session. Kota Kinabalu: Sabah's public enemy number one is corruption as it is the reason so many things have gone wrong in the State, according to former Sabah Law Society head Datuk Roger Chin. 'We must make the people so upset, so angry about corruption that they will not tolerate it. 'Once you do away with corruption, things will work as it should be, and money will stay here. And opportunities would go where they should have gone because they are qualified and the best persons for the job etc,' he said. He was speaking at NGO Sabar's Kopitiam Council podcast with Datuk John Lo on the 'Oversight & Reform of Government-Linked Companies (GLCs) Transparency, Accountability & Corruption Prevention. Why is Sabah struggling? Unpacking GLCs, corruption and lost billions,' he said. John, an ex-banker said people who have been put in trust have not been doing their proper job. I always feel we Sabahans are our biggest enemy.' He noted that some GLCs are putting in professional people to run them. 'They have professional management and good board members to perform very well,' Lo said. 'We have to reform.' 'We must transform ourselves. We must transform our mindset to get Sabah going well again.' Chin said civil society, media and the public are the three bodies that must be strong and proactive to play a vital role in the fight to check and curb corruption. 'Civil society must continuously talk about corruption and what is happening out there, basically educating the public about corruption. So civil society plays a major function to educate the public what corruption is and they must keep going and talk about policies. 'So part of Sabar's efforts will be talking about policies and solutions which civil society is very good at. 'The media should continue to do investigative studies to make sure that issues of corruption are made known. Imagine the 1MDB issue, if the media was not on it, 1MDB may never even have been an issue. 'The media has this tremendous power to shape society, depending on what they write, they could influence popular views. I have always said the media is one of the most powerful institutions in the world. 'That is why it is also a duty for them (media) to educate the public to let the public know about what is corruption and expose corruption,' said Chin. He said the public must never allow corruption to be a normal thing. We must question our leaders. 'If a politician takes personal affront to it, that means they may have no answer to you. There is nothing wrong in questioning your leaders. Chin said the public must not be ignored. 'You have social media. You have WhatsApp where you can viral anything you want.' 'You have the tool which was not available in the past and because of this, the public has got a tremendous amount of influence and ability to combat corruption.' Lo said Sabahan must also have faith in ourselves. 'If we do not have faith and confidence in ourselves as Sabahans, if we always think that other people are better, then we are not going to go anyway. 'We must know how to look after ourselves. That's why the Sabahan First Policy is very important. 'Instead of making other people rich, we should make ourselves rich. I hope to see many Sabahans become billionaires who will stay and invest their monies in Sabah,' said Lo. * Follow us on Instagram and join our Telegram and/or WhatsApp channel(s) for the latest news you don't want to miss. * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available.
Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Express
8 hours ago
- Daily Express
Autonomy is a right under MA63: Warisan
Published on: Wednesday, June 11, 2025 Published on: Wed, Jun 11, 2025 Text Size: Mazliwati's statement comes amid growing public calls for stronger state rights and cleaner governance, particularly in light of Sabah's ongoing push to reclaim powers under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63). Kota Kinabalu: Sabah needs leadership that is grounded in integrity, vision, and an unwavering commitment to the rights and dignity of its people, said Warisan Supreme Councillor and MA63 Research Head, Mazliwati Abdul Malek. Highlighting Sabah's rich culture, abundant resources and resilient spirit, Mazliwati emphasised the urgent need for the state to regain full autonomy in managing its own affairs – economically, environmentally, and socially – without what she described as 'unnecessary outside control.' Advertisement 'Autonomy is not a privilege. It is our right under the Malaysia Agreement 1963, and it must be safeguarded,' she said in a statement. She also issued a stern warning against the dangers of corruption, pointing out that leaders who prioritise personal gain compromise Sabah's institutions and future. 'Corrupt leaders are easily manipulated and become weak negotiators, making it impossible for Sabah to stand strong or secure the best outcomes for its people,' she stressed. Mazliwati called for integrity to be placed at the heart of the state's pursuit of self-governance. 'In our pursuit of greater self-governance, integrity must be treated not as an option, but as an absolute requirement. 'We must demand leaders who are clean, principled, and deeply rooted in service – not those who serve themselves or bow to distant powers,' she said. She added that Sabah's progress depends not only on policy direction, but on the character of its leaders. She urged voters to be vigilant and to choose leaders who truly represent Sabah's voice and interests. 'The time has come to think beyond personalities and promises, and instead to commit to a leadership that is local, clean, and determined to see Sabah truly thrive,' she concluded. Mazliwati's statement comes amid growing public calls for stronger state rights and cleaner governance, particularly in light of Sabah's ongoing push to reclaim powers under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63). * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
Daily Express
9 hours ago
- Daily Express
Abdul Raof made acting Kota Raja Umno chief
Published on: Wednesday, June 11, 2025 Published on: Wed, Jun 11, 2025 By: Bernama Text Size: Selangor Umno liaison committee chairman Megat Zulkarnain Omardin (centre) at a party event in Shah Alam last night. (Bernama pic) SHAH ALAM: The position of Kota Raja Umno chief is now held by Abdul Raof Mokhtar, according to Selangor Umno liaison committee chairman Megat Zulkarnain Omardin. He said Raof, who is currently the division's deputy chief, would act in the position until the next party election. Advertisement He said this followed the resignation of Kota Raja Umno chief Tengku Zafrul Aziz, who expressed his intention to join PKR on May 30. 'Automatically, the deputy chief of the (Kota Raja) Umno division will act in the position of division chief. 'We will send an official letter to Umno president (Ahmad Zahid Hamidi) for the matter to be brought to the Supreme Council meeting,' he said at a press conference here last night. Megat added that his friendship with Tengku Zafrul continued as usual, and called on Selangor Umno to continue working and moving forward. Tengku Zafrul, the investment, trade and industry minister, announced his resignation from Umno in a May 30 statement on Facebook, saying he had sent a letter of resignation to the party leadership on the same date. In the letter, Tengku Zafrul expressed his intention to resign as a member of the Supreme Council, Kota Raja Umno chief and party member. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
New Straits Times
a day ago
- New Straits Times
Young Sabahans turn to social media amid party scepticism
KOTA KINABALU: A significant number of young Sabahans are becoming politically literate through social media, said Sabah Youth Council president Abqaree Fawwaz Abekan. However, he said that this group of youngsters, aged between 18 and 40, remains sceptical of formal institutions and traditional political parties. Abqaree said younger voters are increasingly looking past party logos and towards individual candidates' track records. "Sabahan youth are primarily concerned with daily, tangible issues such as access to jobs, basic amenities like roads, electricity, clean water, reliable internet, land rights, and the cost of living, especially outside Kota Kinabalu. "This mistrust stems from years of political instability, party-hopping, and leadership that appears inconsistent or out of touch. "Young voters want to see action, not just promises," he told the New Straits Times, while warning of the possibility that they may also decline to vote if there isn't a strong campaign to raise awareness and rekindle interest in choosing credible leaders. While Abqaree said that youngsters, especially from rural Sabah, resonate strongly with the "Sabah for Sabahan" sentiment, Jo-Anna Sue Henley Rampas offered a different perspective on the matter. The research assistant at Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) said that while the sentiment continues to gain traction, it is also clear that today's youth are deeply pragmatic. "What they want are realistic policies, meaningful autonomy, and effective delivery mechanisms. "Many are prioritising leadership quality, transparency, and the ability to deliver on real issues: jobs, education, cost of living, and equitable development. "This pragmatism reflects a long-standing political culture in Sabah, where voters are known to cross party lines if it means better governance or greater returns for the state." The former two-time election candidate from Kiulu, who is also studying the political participation of Undi18 voters, said that political parties must rise to the occasion. This state election may well determine whether Sabah's political scene can evolve in step with a younger generation that is values-driven, outcome-focused, and determined to shape a more inclusive and locally grounded future. "If parties continue to neglect youth representation or fail to deliver tangible reforms, they risk being rejected by a generation that's no longer easily swayed by party nostalgia or outdated campaign methods."
