‘Attacks on Warisan prove Umno is losing Sabah’

Warisan Youth chief says the RM13 billion allocated to Sabah and Sarawak is not enough to eradicate poverty in the states.

PETALING JAYA: The incessant verbal attacks against Parti Warisan Sabah (Warisan) president Mohd Shafie Apdal prove that Umno has realised it is on the verge of losing its “safe deposit” state, Sabah, says Warisan’s Youth chief.

Mohd Azis Jamman said this was because the new opposition party had received overwhelming support from the people of Sabah in the short time since its formation.

He also claimed it had succeeded in attracting thousands of Barisan Nasional (BN) supporters.

“This led them to play up old issues, such as the allegation that Shafie had failed to develop Sabah when he was the rural and regional minister,” he said in a statement today.

But the actions of these Umno leaders have inadvertently highlighted the failure of the BN government in Sabah, led by Chief Minister Musa Aman, added Azis.

“It has also shown the shallow level of understanding Umno leaders and several cabinet members have on the administration of a ministry.”

His statement came in response to comments by Sabah Umno leaders who said the ministry, under Shafie’s administration, had failed to solve basic infrastructure problems in rural Sabah, despite the ministry receiving RM20 billion in five years.

Azis said the allocation was not meant just for improving water or electricity supply and roads, but also scholarships, business loans though Mara and housing assistance.

He said Sabah was a big state which required a huge allocation. Even if the RM20 billion allocation was spent only on developing the state, it still wouldn’t be enough to eradicate poverty.

“What more to upgrade all the infrastructure… Even the railway track project from Johor Bahru to Kuala Lumpur costs RM20 billion.

“At the last Parliament sitting, Jainab clearly admitted that the RM20 billion budget for the ministry was distributed for other purposes and only RM13 billion was actually allocated to Sabah and Sarawak.”

He was referring to Sabah Community Development and Consumer Affairs Minister Jainab Ahmad Ayid.

“RM13 billion for Sabah and Sarawak — the two biggest states in Malaysia. Is that enough to solve the problems of Sabah roads and water supply that are still lagging behind other states? -FMT