'Hajiji even dares to be probed'
Published on: Wed, Jul 02, 2025 Text Size: Azizah stands united with GRS Women leaders and Zone Coordinators during a show of support here today. Kota Kinabalu: The women wing of Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) expressed full confidence in the leadership of GRS Chairman Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor in addressing any allegations or accusations directed at him. GRS Women Chief Datuk Azizah Mohd Dun emphasised that Datuk Seri Hajiji's open statement, 'I have nothing to hide,' is clear evidence that he is a transparent leader who is not afraid to be investigated. 'We have full confidence in our chairman. He has firmly stated — 'Go ahead and investigate!' If he were guilty or afraid, he would not have dared to say such a thing. Therefore, GRS Women stands firmly behind Datuk Seri Hajiji,' she said. Azizah added that the statement reflects the sincerity and courage of a leader unafraid to face the truth. 'A leader who dares to say 'go ahead and investigate' is one who has nothing to hide. This reflects his confidence in the legal process and transparency in governance,' she added. GRS Women also called on all Sabahans not to be influenced by any attempts to disrupt the State's political stability and to continue showing support for a leadership that has brought significant progress to Sabah. 'We urge everyone to remain calm and place their trust in bold, honest and responsible leadership. Strong public support is crucial to maintaining the State's continued stability,' she added. * 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
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Express
31 minutes ago
- Daily Express
MP questions Sabah's energy future after pipeline suspension
Published on: Wednesday, August 20, 2025 Published on: Wed, Aug 20, 2025 Text Size: Madius said Upko had opposed the pipeline from the start, warning it would divert Sabah's gas resources and undermine the state's ability to meet local electricity needs. Kuala Lumpur: The suspension of a key section of the Kimanis-Bintulu gas pipeline has sparked debate in Parliament, with Tuaran MP Datuk Seri Madius Tangau questioning potential financial losses for Petronas and the broader implications for Sabah's energy security. During last Thursday's Dewan Rakyat session, Madius pressed the Prime Minister to disclose how much Petronas has lost since operations were halted on the 500-kilometre pipeline linking Kimanis, Sabah, to Bintulu, Sarawak. Advertisement He also questioned why the project was pursued despite known geotechnical risks, reiterating longstanding objections from his party, Upko. Madius said Upko had opposed the pipeline from the start, warning it would divert Sabah's gas resources and undermine the state's ability to meet local electricity needs. After the 12th General Election, Upko had made cancellation of the pipeline a condition of its support for the fifth Prime Minister. The party proposed rerouting the project through Sandakan or Lahad Datu to prioritise domestic gas use, with surplus supply directed to support petrochemical development at the POIC Lahad Datu. However, the original route was retained. Adding to the controversy, Madius revealed that Sabah's promised 25 per cent equity in the Bintulu LNG project was not a free stake as initially assumed. Responding to the concerns, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said clarified that only the Sarawak segment — covering Lawas, Limbang, Miri, and Bintulu — has been suspended. Pipeline operations within Sabah remain active. Azalina explained the suspension was prompted by technical and safety assessments, which revealed significant geotechnical risks, including unstable terrain and recurring land movement threatening the structural integrity of the pipeline. 'Public safety is a priority,' she said, adding that Petronas remains committed to ensuring uninterrupted energy supply via alternative, safer routes. She noted the Sabah-Sarawak Gas Pipeline, launched in 2011, was based on feasibility studies evaluating safety, cost, and commercial viability. However, a series of pipeline failures between 2014 and 2022, coupled with worsening land instability, led to the partial suspension. Petronas is currently exploring infrastructure upgrades to maintain gas delivery while minimising the risk of future disruptions. * 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
31 minutes ago
- Daily Express
LDP cautions against new minimum wage hike
Published on: Wednesday, August 20, 2025 Published on: Wed, Aug 20, 2025 Text Size: Ong criticised comparisons between government-linked companies (GLCs) and private sector businesses, noting that some large corporations and GLCs have set entry-level salaries at RM3,000. Kota Kinabalu: Liberal Democratic Party Vice President David Ong cautioned the Government against implementing another minimum wage increase soon after the recent adjustment to RM1,700, which took effect nationwide on Aug 1. He said businesses, particularly small and medium enterprises (SMEs), need more time to adapt to the current wage structure before facing additional financial pressures. Advertisement 'Less than a year after the last increase, talk of yet another hike is premature and risks placing unnecessary strain on businesses that are still adjusting,' he said in a statement. He criticised comparisons between government-linked companies (GLCs) and private sector businesses, noting that some large corporations and GLCs have set entry-level salaries at RM3,000. 'GLCs operate under very different conditions, with guaranteed contracts, subsidies or monopolies that protect their income streams. 'Most private businesses, especially SMEs, operate on thin margins and face direct market competition,' he said. He said SMEs comprise nearly 98 per cent of Malaysian businesses and employ almost half the country's workforce. Many are currently struggling with reduced consumer demand, rising operational costs and cash flow constraints due to global economic challenges. He said premature wage increases could lead to unintended consequences, including job cuts, hiring freezes or business closures, outcomes that would ultimately harm workers rather than protect them. 'We must ask, what new skills or productivity gains have workers acquired in less than a year that would justify another wage increase?' he said, emphasising that salary increases should correspond with improved productivity and skills development. Instead of rushing into another minimum wage hike, he suggested the Government should allow businesses more time to absorb the recent wage adjustment while focusing on reducing living costs through stricter price controls and anti-profiteering enforcement. He also called for enhanced support for SMEs through training programmes, digitalisation initiatives and productivity improvement schemes. 'Workers deserve fair pay and a decent standard of living, but wage hikes must be gradual, realistic and supported by policies that strengthen competitiveness,' he said. * 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
Free Malaysia Today
an hour ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Shahelmey weighs GRS ticket after BN door ‘closes'
Last Sunday, GRS chairman Hajiji Noor hinted that Shahelmey Yahya might contest under the GRS banner to defend his Tanjung Keramat state seat in the next Sabah polls. KUALA LUMPUR : Sabah deputy chief minister Shahelmey Yahya is weighing the possibility of contesting under Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) in the upcoming state election, with his chances of standing again as a Barisan Nasional candidate possibly over. Shahelmey, who currently holds the Tanjung Keramat seat, said his decision would ultimately hinge on feedback from voters in the constituency. 'I need to listen to the people in the area because they are the ones who will be voting. There is also the local machinery whose views I must consider. 'If the feedback is convincing, then we will make a decision,' he told FMT when met at the Parliament building. GRS chairman Hajiji Noor had earlier expressed confidence that Shahelmey could defend the seat under the coalition's banner. Shahelmey first won Tanjung Keramat on a BN ticket in 2020. However, his ties with BN have soured since March 2023, when Umno suspended him for six years for refusing to support the party's move to topple Hajiji. The rift widened last year after Sabah BN chief Bung Moktar Radin named Sabah Umno election director Jeffrey Noh as the coalition's candidate for Tanjung Keramat, effectively sidelining Shahelmey. '(It's as if) the door has closed,' Shahelmey said of his BN prospects. He said there had been no discussions with Sabah BN or coalition chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi regarding his candidacy. Shahelmey said his decision on whether to contest on a GRS ticket was further complicated by his position as Umno's Putatan MP. Under the anti-hopping law, he risks losing his parliamentary seat if he contests under a party other than BN as he won Putatan on a BN ticket in the 15th general election. 'That matter is quite technical. I will make a decision later,' he said, without elaborating.
