Latest news with #Merotai
Borneo Post
5 days ago
- Business
- Borneo Post
Masidi's claim on 2019 RM1 billion bond repayment a 'desperate distortion' - Sarifuddin
Sarifuddin KOTA KINABALU (Aug 14): Former Sabah Assistant Finance Minister Sarifuddin Hata has slammed State Finance Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Masidi Manjun's attempt to portray the 2019 repayment of the state's RM1 billion bond as 'automatic,' calling it a desperate distortion. 'When Warisan took over the administration in 2018, just one year before the bond matured, the Bond Repayment Fund only had about RM400 million,' said Sarifuddin, who is also Merotai assemblyman and Warisan Kalabakan Division chief, in a statement today. He pointed out that based on the previous administration's plan of allocating RM200 million annually, at least RM800 million should have been in the fund by then. 'However, the RM600 million shortfall was the result of weak fiscal discipline before Warisan formed the government,' he said. Sarifuddin accused Masidi of cherry-picking figures, noting that 'being tabled in the budget does not mean the funds were actually allocated and deposited into the bond fund.' He said official records showed the actual balance in 2018 was far below the required amount. He stressed that Warisan's fiscal discipline between 2018 and 2019 successfully closed the gap, preventing a default. 'If the repayment had been 'fully guaranteed' as claimed by the minister, then why was there such a rush to top up the fund when Warisan was in power?' he asked. Warisan, he added, had less than 12 months to raise the fund from RM400 million to over RM1 billion, including interest, without taking new debt, cutting essential development programmes, or burdening the public. 'This was not a 'routine exercise' but a critical effort to safeguard Sabah's finances, credit rating, and credibility,' he stressed. Sarifuddin also maintained that Warisan implemented the sales tax on petroleum products in April 2020 and gazetted it during its administration. 'GRS only collected the revenue because the first payment came in after they took over. The policy, groundwork, and legal framework were all Warisan's work, not GRS',' he said. The former assistant minister reiterated calls for transparency on how the bond proceeds were spent. 'If the minister is confident every sen was spent in Sabah, then disclose the full list of projects, locations, contractors, and beneficiaries. Until this is revealed, talk of 'full accountability' is just empty words,' he said, calling for an independent audit. Sarifuddin criticised GRS for avoiding direct answers in the State Legislative Assembly, instead offering vague promises to 'study the matter' or 'provide a written reply.' He challenged Masidi and the GRS government to debate the matter openly in the Assembly. 'If you truly believe in your facts, there is no reason to fear debating in the august House,' he said. Masidi on Wednesday refuted claims by Warisan president Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal that the RM1 billion State Government bond repayment in 2019 was an extraordinary achievement of the Warisan administration. 'The repayment was never a sudden burden. It was planned since 2014 under a Bank Negara Malaysia requirement to set up a Sinking Fund, with RM200 million allocated annually over five years. By the time Warisan came into office, the funds were already budgeted, and only the final RM380 million instalment was tabled during their tenure,' he said in a statement.
Daily Express
10-07-2025
- Politics
- Daily Express
Government must include Kalabakan roads: Merotai YB
Published on: Thursday, July 10, 2025 Published on: Thu, Jul 10, 2025 By: Lagatah Toyos Text Size: Sarifuddin also criticised what he perceived as government spending priorities, questioning multi-billion-ringgit announcements while basic infrastructure issues like water supply, roads and electricity remain problematic. Kota Kinabalu: Merotai Assemblyman Sarifuddin Hata wants the Sabah Government to include Kalabakan roads in the supplementary allocations, as these routes were excluded from the Pan Borneo Highway project. He said the deteriorating road conditions had long troubled residents who frequently travel between Kalabakan and Bandar Tawau, including schoolteachers commuting to work. He said poor road infrastructure could damage the State's image once the planned cross-border route from Kalimantan to Kalabakan becomes operational. 'If only the stretch from the Kalimantan border to Kalabakan is newly constructed, while the road from Kalabakan to Bandar Tawau remains in poor condition, this will tarnish our image when people from Kalimantan enter Malaysia,' Sarifuddin said when debating the 2025 Supplementary Supply Bill at the Assembly. He also criticised what he perceived as government spending priorities, questioning multi-billion-ringgit announcements while basic infrastructure issues like water supply, roads and electricity remain problematic. He cited examples which included the purchase of SMJ car licence plates for RM3.96 million and RM8 million allocated for cyber troopers, contrasting this with the RM5 million given to Universiti Malaysia Sabah. 'We do not need to pay cyber troopers. If the government does its best, the people will see it. We do not need to play around on social media with negative perceptions,' 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
Borneo Post
22-06-2025
- Politics
- Borneo Post
Intense battle lies ahead for Merotai
Sarifuddin (left) and Ruji KOTA KINABALU (June 22): The Merotai State Assembly seat is considered one of the 'hot' seats attracting attention in the 17th Sabah State Election due to the emergence of a prominent figure rumored to contest in this stronghold of the Warisan party. Merotai has gained attention of late as a secretary-general of a ministry from the Madani government is said to be on the list of potential candidates that PKR, a member of the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition, is expected to promote, which has gone viral on social media. In a list described by some PH supporters as 'fake news', the local from Tawau, Datuk Ruji Ubi, the secretary-general of the Ministry of Unity, is rumored to be the candidate against the incumbent Merotai representative, Sarifuddin Hata, from Warisan. According to several local political observers, if the viral predictions are accurate, it could be part of PKR or PH's strategy to gain support and trust, especially among the people in the eastern part of Sabah. 'It is going to be a tough fight and interesting,' they said. However, Ruji, in his latest social media post, did not provide any indication or comment regarding this possibility, simply stating: 'For your information, starting today (June 21, 2025), I have retired. I chose to retire early at the age of 55. I want to return to Tawau to 'farm',' Ruji said in jest. Ruji, who is a former chief executive officer of the Eastern Sabah Security Command, made this statement in response to a question from a netizen about whether he might enter politics after announcing his retirement from public service. Before his last appointment, Ruji also served as the secretary-general of the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Education. In the 2020 state election, Sarifuddin won the Merotai seat with a majority of 1,587 votes
