Sabah deputy CM’s aide fired after working visit

The political secretary to Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Christina Liew has been fired following the aide's recent working visit to Sabah interior to look into local concerns.

In a statement yesterday, Raymond Ahuar said he was personally informed by Liew that his dismissal had been decided in a state cabinet meeting.

Chief Minister Shafie Apdal had apparently proposed the matter and a majority of cabinet members voted in agreement.

Accepting his dismissal, Raymond vowed to continue serving the people in his other capacities.

“I will continue to lead the youth to protest against corruption, leakages and abuse of power in the present government. I will bring forward the voices of the youth in Sabah so that they may be heard by state and federal leaders,” he said in the statement.

Raymond (photo) is the Sabah PKR Youth chief, Sabah Pakatan Harapan Youth chief and Pensiangan PKR division chief.

When contacted by Malaysiakini, he said Liew informed him that he was dismissed over a letter announcing his Feb 12 working visit to Nabawan, a district in the Pensiangan parliament seat.

The trip had been in response to complaints from the local Murut community about a logging company that was felling trees on their communal land.

Raymond was puzzled as to why he was let go over the working visit as he had made many such trips since he was appointed in July 2018.

“I always go down to the ground and such trips are common [...]

“I am still awaiting my formal dismissal letter, which I hope will contain the full reasons why I was fired,” he said.

Malaysiakini has reached out to Liew and Shafie for comment.

Concerns over logging activities

As with his other working trips, Raymond issued a report following his trip to Tatalaan II, Nabawan.

Located in the interior near the heart of Sabah, Nabawan is about a three-hour-drive from Kota Kinabalu. 

Sighted by Malaysiakini, the report noted his concerns about how the logging company in operation there had yet to fulfil its obligation to measure and divide up the land into plots.

This had delayed local residents from being able to qualify for grants for individual plots of the communally-owned land.

He urged the authorities to ensure the company fulfilled its obligation as he noted how more than 1,000 hectares had already been logged and the company’s logging permit was ending on March 7.

Raymond also noted the serious environmental damage seen during his visit, including possible mismanagement of oil-based waste.

The Feb 13 report was not issued by Liew’s office but through Raymond's NGO Pertubuhan Kebudayaan dan Kebajikan Murut Malaysia (Murut Cultural and Welfare Association).

It was forwarded to Shafie, Liew, Sabah MACC as well as other state government agencies.

Malaysiakini had reached out to the logging company in question for comment and is withholding its name in the meantime. - Mkini