Why criticise Lok Kawi project when Shafie failed to develop Sabah, Warisan asked

KOTA KINABALU – A non-governmental organisation has hit out at Warisan for criticising the RM7 billion Lok Kawi Resort City project, claiming that the party had zero success in bringing in any investment during its time in power.

Gerakan Kuasa Rakyat (G57) has alleged that Warisan president Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal had failed to deliver on any project during his 26-month tenure as chief minister when Warisan Plus governed Sabah.

“Warisan leaders should have lauded Gabungan Rakyat Sabah’s (GRS) success, but instead, they accuse it of taking the credit for a project mooted by Shafie,” G57 chairman Datuk Zulkarnain Mahdar said today.

“For the past few days, the GRS state government has come under constant criticism from Warisan over the Lok Kawi project, but Warisan leaders need to be told that not one of the large scale projects announced by Shafie materialised.”

Zulkarnain said on September 28, 2018, Shafie had announced that a RM2 billion investment from China would be able to create 3,000 jobs, but the venture did not materialise.

The Semporna MP then announced an investment of RM13 billion from China to start a glass manufacturing industry in the state, but the deal also fell through, he added.

“There are many more memorandum of understanding signings that Shafie had witnessed, involving billions of ringgit, but the fact remains that none of them were successfully implemented.”

Zulkarnain said as a result, the state suffered an increase in unemployment and its gross domestic product dropped to its lowest at 0.5% during the two years Warisan Plus was in power.

“Records show that Shafie had failed in developing Sabah.

“On the other hand, after just a month in power, the GRS government was able to attract a RM2.3 billion investment from South Korea and kick-start the Lok Kawi project.”

He added that the Lok Kawi project may not even be successful if Shafie was still chief minister. – The Vibes, March 24, 2021