KOTA KINABALU – The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) today confirmed to The Vibes an investigation has been launched to look into the RM300 million loan made out to AirAsia Group by Sabah Development Bank (SDB).
Sabah MACC director S. Karunanithy did not share further details about the probe.
Earlier, newly minted Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Md Noor called for the anti-graft body to investigate the loan that was approved by the previous Warisan state government.
The Daily Express reported that the loan was approved during the previous Warisan-led government on July 2 by SDB but was “hurriedly disbursed” a few days after Gabungan Rakyat Sabah won the state election.
Meanwhile, Sabah Progressive Party leader Datuk Seri Yong Teck Lee has questioned the approval of the loan as the Sabah government-owned bank is supposed to focus on state development.
He added the loan could be used to bail out AirAsia from its debt.
Former state agriculture and food industries minister Datuk Junz Wong said he was involved in the financing, having partly been involved in seeing AirAsia’s OurFarm project take off.
Wong, who is Warisan vice-president, refused to comment on the investigation.
On how he is going to respond to the matter, he said: “I’ll debate this during the budget tabling in the state assembly.
“Building logistics hubs with refrigerated containers and cold storage rooms in Kota Kinabalu, Tawau and Sandakan could be a game changer for Sabah, especially for its agriculture industry.”
He said the attack on the project by certain politicians showed that they did not look into how the loan could benefit Sabah’s economy.
“How does RM300 million save AirAsia? Totally stupid.” – The Vibes, October 28, 2020
