Bersih has cautioned that Yusof Yacob’s appointment as the new Sabah Development Bhd (SDB) chairperson could be interpreted as an indication that the corruption scandal plaguing the state will be “swept under the rug”.
The electoral watchdog said this in criticising the appointment of the former Sindumin assemblyperson to the government-linked company (GLC) despite his ongoing corruption case involving alleged bribes linked to mineral prospecting licences in Sabah.
Bersih chairperson Faisal Aziz warned that the move might erode public confidence towards authorities over a perceived lack of action against implicated individuals.
“In any appointment process, the government must set a high standard… candidates must not only be clean, but also be seen to be clean. This is crucial, in addition to the criteria of competence and experience,” Faisal told Malaysiakini.
“Otherwise, how can the appointed individual be respected by employees, and more importantly, how can we ensure that the GLC itself remains free from being tainted by misconduct and integrity issues?” he questioned.
Malaysiakini previously reported that Yusof (above) had begun his duties at the SDB office in Menara Kinabalu on Tuesday, with the former state lawmaker taking to Facebook to express his appreciation to Chief Minister Hajiji Nor for the trust placed in him.
Governance standards
The Center to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4 Center), however, did not share Yusof’s apparent enthusiasm over the appointment, with its CEO, Pushpan Murugiah, reiterating the group’s longstanding stance against appointing politicians to GLCs.
Pushpan highlighted that an inherent risk of political interference, conflict of interest, and policy capture is created when politicians, especially those facing ongoing criminal proceedings, are appointed to such entities.
He added that while the principle of presumptive innocence must be respected in the courts of law, such a standard is “insufficient” for public appointments.
“Governance standards must be higher than the legal minimum. The leadership of GLCs must not only be lawful, but also seen to be independent, professional, and free from political influence,” he told Malaysiakini.
Any government that is serious about strengthening governance and restoring public trust, Pushpan said, must draw a firm institutional line between political office and the management of public enterprises.
“GLC reform cannot succeed as long as these entities remain extensions of political patronage networks, rather than professionally governed institutions,” he asserted.
Yesterday, Sabah DAP Youth chief Chan Loong Wei pointed out that Yusof’s appointment contradicts Hajiji’s own stated vision for Sabah’s GLCs.
“The chief minister has repeatedly stressed that GLCs should be led by competent and credible leadership to serve as effective economic catalysts for the people and the state. This appointment does not reflect those aspirations,” Chan said in a statement.
In an earlier statement, Hajiji had emphasised the need to restructure these entities to strengthen corporate governance, inject new leadership, and ensure they are managed by competent, professional, and results-oriented individuals in line with the Sabah Maju Jaya 2.0 agenda.
Implicated politicians
Yusof is among more than a dozen politicians from Hajiji’s Gabungan Rakyat Sabah coalition implicated by businessperson Albert Tei in the state’s mining scandal.
On June 30 last year, Yusof - who previously chaired state investment arm Qhazanah Sabah Bhd - was charged with receiving RM200,000 in cash from Tei.
The bribe, which was allegedly meant to help process a prospecting licence for Syarikat Nusa Kini Sdn Bhd, was supposedly handed over at the Hilton Hotel’s rooftop bar in Kota Kinabalu on March 6, 2023.
Apart from Yusof, former state assistant minister Andi Suryady Bandy was also charged in connection with the mining scandal. - Mkini
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