DATUK SERI Mohd Shafie Apdal has berated Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) for strategically leveraging on policies created by the former Warisan administration led by him and allegedly committing constitutional violation to maintain its leader in power.
Responding to stinging criticisms from current Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Mohd Noor last Saturday, Shafie highlighted the success of the sales tax on petroleum products during his own tenure as chief minister from May 2018 to September 2020.
He said that it generated billions of ringgit for Sabah, and his government allocated over ten thousand acres to indigenous communities for agriculture.
"There are no other governments in Sabah except for Warisan which have implemented the sales tax on petroleum products since the Petroleum Development Act 1974.
“Today, the GRS-led Sabah government has obtained over RM2 billion from the sales tax initiated by the Warisan-led administration," he said at a press conference held in Parliament today.
Shafie emphasised other achievements, such as in issuing over 10,000 land titles and facilitating subsidised agricultural activities for the people, during the approximately 26-month Warisan-led administration.
He also countered Hajiji’s attack by stating that he had allocated RM600 million to deal with the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic.
He noted that RM1 million were donated to frontliners, RM2 million to purchase protective gear from China and for food baskets to the people of Sabah, including those living in the peninsula and Sarawak.
Shafie also highlighted the Warisan-led administration's recognition of the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) and its success in settling the RM1 billion debt – accrued during the earlier Barisan Nasional (BN) regime – that the state owed to the federal government.
He pointed out that Hajiji was part of that BN government and also a state cabinet member of that former regime.
He also noted how Sabah under him regained control of Sipadan and Ligitan islands as well the authority to issue deep-sea fishing licenses during the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) talks.
Hajiji’s parties did not run
Shafie told Hajiji to deal with his failures in overseeing road, electricity, water, healthcare, and education services, and with the rising costs of living in Sabah.
He accused Hajiji of violating Sabah’s state constitution but clearing himself of wrongdoing by abolishing Article 6(7) to legitimise his position as chief minister.
He said Article 6(7) was supposed to serve as a guide to the head of state to appoint a chief minister who is a leader of a party which commands the confidence of the majority (voters).
Shafie noted that Hajiji left Bersatu to become a direct member of GRS, and later took over Gagasan Rakyat in early 2023. However, both GRS and Gagasan Rakyat had not contested in the last Sabah election in September 2020.
“There is no party in the world that can govern when it did not contest in the Sabah election.
“Only a party which has obtained a majority can do so. You don’t obtain the majority by getting turncoats,” said Shafie, referring to the assemblymen who switched sides after the state polls.
He cited a provision that was introduced in the 1990s to resolve such issues.
Shafie reiterated that Warisan had the most seats after the election with 29, while Bersatu won 11, Umno 14, PBS 7, Star 6, Upko 1 and PKR 2. His rival therefore did not command the majority.
“But to legitimise his position as chief minister, Article 6(7) was abolished. And he still insists that I was a failure,” Shafie said.
On Saturday, Hajiji had claimed that Warisan's loss of power was due to its own missteps. He accused its leaders of spreading false narratives to undermine his administration which has garnered record investments since 2020.
Hajiji had also accused Shafie of belittling others in his wanting to revive Article 6(7) should his party return to power in the next election. – The Vibes, March 11, 2024
