Latest news with #ShafieApdal
Malay Mail
14-05-2025
- Business
- Malay Mail
Warisan chief slams Sabah govt's ‘record' RM6.4b budget, warns of financial risk tied to oil prices
KOTA KINABALU, May 14 — Parti Warisan president Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal has raised concerns over the Sabah state government's financial planning for 2025, questioning its record budget which he said was built on 'unstable assumptions' of global oil prices. The Senallang state assemblyman accused the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) government of continuing to make grand announcements and bold promises while ordinary Sabahans see little to no improvement in their daily lives. 'The Sabah government is boasting about its largest-ever state budget of RM6.4 billion for 2025, but this so-called achievement is built on unstable assumptions. 'More than 40 per cent of the revenue is expected to come from oil and gas, based on the GRS government's optimistic forecast of US$76 (RM326) per barrel, but the current oil price hovers around US$60,' he said. Shafie said that Sabah could lose hundreds of millions in revenue if prices stay that low, which is enough to wipe out the projected RM24 million surplus and push the state budget into a deficit. 'What is GRS' plan if prices remain low? What is their contingency strategy to ensure there is development funding for schools, clinics and roads in the rural areas?' he asked. Shafie also criticised the state government's handling of poverty, unemployment and infrastructure challenges, noting that despite the 'record budget,' Sabah remains the poorest state in Malaysia, with eight out of the ten poorest districts located in the state. 'Our budget is twice that of Selangor and six times more than Penang. So where is the money going? Why hasn't it helped lift us out of poverty?' he asked. 'Even more alarming is the unemployment rate of 7.9 per cent in the third quarter of 2024 which is the highest in Malaysia according to the Department of Statistics Malaysia. This means over 170,000 Sabahans are jobless, an increase from 7.5 per cent in 2023. He said that if the economy is really growing as claimed, there wouldn't be so many people still struggling to find jobs while those who are employed are trapped with low-paying wages. 'Half of Sabah's workers earn less than RM2,000 a month. In Q1 2023, the median wage was RM1,864. A year later, it increased by just RM18 while food prices in Sabah remain the highest in the country,' he said. Shafie also cited concerns over child health and malnutrition. 'Our children are suffering too. One in four Sabahan children under the age of five is stunted. This is the highest stunting rate in Malaysia and it reflects a deeper failure in nutrition, rural healthcare and education. The GRS government has failed to plan for the next generation,' he said. He said that much of the problem lies in the state's corrupt practices where the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has repeatedly reported misuse of funds and false claims especially in the state's education system. 'GRS has done little to fix the system or hold those in power accountable. 'Many teachers are afraid to speak up about wrongdoing because they fear being punished or losing their jobs. This shows a broken system that punishes honesty instead of protecting it,' he said. He also criticised lavish spending on grand launching events, ribbon cuttings and announcements for appearance' sake. 'Millions are wasted on tents, souvenirs, lucky draws and entertainment just to attract large crowds in order to appear popular. Why spend millions on publicity stunts, glossy signboards and social media videos while our roads collapse, our electricity fails and our people struggle with the rising cost of living?' 'This is not progress. This is failure in planning, failure in delivery and failure in leadership. Sabahans cannot continue to pay the price for a government that cares more about slogans and image than the plight of the people,' he said.
The Star
08-05-2025
- Business
- The Star
Sabah's unemployment remains high as economic recovery lags
Warisan president Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal holds up charts comparing Sabah's economic performance under Warisan and GRS during a press conference in Kolombong. KOTA KINABALU: Sabah's unemployment figures remain worryingly high, with 165,600 people still out of work in 2023, according to data from Warisan — a staggering increase from 114,300 in 2019. Warisan president Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal said this sharp rise in joblessness reflects a troubling reality for many young Sabahans, who continue to leave the state for better opportunities in places like Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, and Hong Kong. 'This is a serious issue. We need to create jobs within Sabah so our people do not have to migrate for work. If we do not address this, we risk losing our talent,' he said at a press conference in Kolombong, here, Wednesday (May 7). Shafie also pointed to the need for more investment in downstream industries to drive economic growth and create sustainable jobs, noting that Sabah's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has struggled to recover. The state's GDP stood at RM83.2bil in 2023, still below its 2019 peak of RM85.6bil, marking a decline of RM2.4bil or 3% over four years. He cited the missed opportunity involving IKEA as a prime example of Sabah's struggle to attract major investments. Despite Sabah's rich timber resources, IKEA ultimately chose Sarawak over Sabah for its investment, raising concerns about the state's ability to support value-added industries. 'For instance, we produce cocoa, but where are the chocolate factories? Why are we just exporting raw materials? We need to add value locally to create jobs and strengthen our economy,' Shafie said. Shafie also took the opportunity to introduce Warisan's new slogan, 'Save Sabah' (Selamatkan Sabah), which he said captures the party's mission to address the state's critical issues, including unemployment, economic decline, and infrastructure gaps. 'Save Sabah from no basic infrastructure. Save Sabah from rising unemployment. Save Sabah from being left behind in terms of economic growth and development,' he said. He urged the people of Sabah to give Warisan a chance in the upcoming election, assuring them that the party can resolve the state's basic necessities challenges and build a stronger, more resilient Sabah. 'We are capable of solving our problems. We do not need to keep relying on others. We can manage our resources and address our challenges if given the chance,' Shafie said. The persistently high unemployment and sluggish GDP recovery also reflect broader challenges, including gaps in infrastructure, high logistics costs, and a lack of skilled labour, which must be addressed for sustainable growth.
Malaysiakini
01-05-2025
- Politics
- Malaysiakini
Sabah corruption: Shafie condemns those caught in whistleblower's clips
Warisan president Shafie Apdal today condemned the politicians implicated in videos a whistleblower released over the Sabah corruption scandal, comparing it to his arrest for questioning the 1MDB scandal. 'The videos are out. I had no videos (but) I was arrested,' he said in a speech at a Warisan event in Papar, Sabah. Shafie was referring to a series of videos that a whistleblower...
