KOTA KINABALU – Describing the Sabah Water Department as blacklisted, Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin said less than 10% of the agency comprised professionals.
He said close to 3,000 of its staff promotions had been frozen since a corruption scandal hit the department in 2016.
“They cannot be promoted. They can only be demoted. Sacking all of them would cripple the department, charging them in court would doom the Water Department,” said Bung when answering a question during his winding-up speech tonight.
Bung was responding to a question by Norazlinah Arif (Kunak-Warisan), who noted that less than 20% of Water Department personnel are professionals and that the qualifications of the engineers are below standards.
The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission arrested and charged the former Water Department director and deputy director after hundreds of millions of ringgit had been found in the department’s office and the homes of the two suspects in 2016.
This followed the arrest of 19 district engineers that same year, forcing the Water Department to appoint 15 new officers to replace them.
He said the state has agreed to get 300 new professional engineers, but the Public Service Department has not responded to its request for new appointments.
Earlier, Bung had said the RM244.47 million allocation under the 2022 state budget for his ministry’s development is insufficient.
Bung – who is also state public works minister – said he was given the burden of leading a “live monitor lizard” under his ministry, adding that he has to oversee the train service, roads, and drainage, among others.
This is unlike in Peninsular Malaysia where these amenities come under different specific ministries, he said.
“This is why when there are problems, all complaints come to me.
“For instance, there are nine categories of roads in Sabah – including federal roads, state roads, local government roads, agriculture area roads, and estate roads.
“But when there is a problem with these roads, the public come to attack me,” said Bung, adding that he is disappointed by this.
Bung said he has to start working, otherwise the problem will continue to persist in the state assembly for many years to come.
He said it is the same issue with water, as the state needs RM27 billion to resolve water woes, but does not have the required funds since the federal government only provides a small portion of the needed amount. – The Vibes, December 8, 2021
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