Shafie plays down calls for him step down as state Finance Minister

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal (pic) played down public outcry over his state Finance portfolio.

Hinting that it is the person who sits in the position that decides on the ministry's performance, Shafie said: “You might have a good car like a Mercedes Benz, but if it does not perform, don’t blame the car but the driver”.

Shafie said this to questions by reporters over his stand and calls for him to step down as state Finance Minister after a meeting with various department heads at his office here on Tuesday.

Calls for him to relinquish his Finance portfolio were made by various NGOs including Sabah Bersih, while an online petition has garnered more than 17,000 signatures in a week.

On a question if he was holding the post on a temporary basis to sort out issues left by the previous government, he said, “We will see”.

Meanwhile, Shafie said Parti Warisan Sabah and Pakatan Harapan will be announcing some of their promises made to the people which will be fulfilled within 100 days of Pakatan taking over the government.

Though he did not mention what they were, he hinted that this could include land related issues.

Asked whether this will see the abolition of the communal land title as mentioned before GE14, he said, “You will know when we announce it in a few days’ time”.

Shafie, who is also Warisan presiden, said it is important to get related government agencies and the private sector to work together and to think of the people's well-being first.

“There will be some restructuring here and there, but whatever it is, it will be for the benefit of the rakyat first,” he said.

He also expressed confidence that Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad will include Sabah representatives in the federal Cabinet.

“We leave it up to him to decide, but I am sure they will include us,” he said.

Shafie will be meeting with security personnel in the Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom) to discuss important issues on Wednesday (May 23).