Jeffrey Kitingan says it would be a mistake to appoint a Sarawakian as the new MPS president as there are many qualified locals.
KOTA KINABALU: The appointment of a non-Sabahan businessman as the president of the Sandakan Municipal Council (MPS) is raising eyebrows, with opposition politicians questioning the state government's move of giving senior positions in the civil service to private citizens.
The Parti Warisan Sabah-led Government has yet to officially announce Datuk Hu Chang Lik @ Hii Chang Lik's appointment to the president's post, but sources within MPS have confirmed it.
A letter, supposedly from the State Ministry of Local Government and Housing on the appointment, has also gone viral on social media.
Sabah STAR president Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan said it would be a mistake for the government to appoint a Sarawakian as the new MPS president as there were many qualified locals.
"It's wrong for the government to do that when you have so many qualified people, maybe even some in Sandakan who could do the job.
"This fellow is a kayu balak (timber) man. He's never been in the (civil) service, and now he wants to run MPS," he alleged.
Jeffrey said he was concerned that the rumoured new president would be "beholden" to the directive of his 'appointer', and would not listen to grassroots councillors.
Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) secretary-general Datuk Johnny Mositun accused the government of by-passing civil service norms and conventions in the appointment of key senior public officials.
"This is similar to the recent appointment of a non-civil servant (water engineer Amarjit Singh) as the director of the Sabah Water Department.
"It is insulting to Sabahans that the Chief Minister has no confidence in our civil service,” he said.
Mositun alleged that such appointments were indicative of cronyism on the part of the administration.
Former Sabah Amanah chairman Hamzah Abdullah claimed that the people of Sandakan were against the appointment of a non-Sabahan to the post, and urged the government to consider their feelings on the matter.
"The Warisan-led state government was campaigning for "Sabah Ubah" and "Sabah for Sabahans" in GE14.
"Their actions contradict what they preached to the people," he said.
Meanwhile, Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) president Datuk Yong Teck Lee said he would be reserving his comments on Hii's qualifications as MPS president until the government explained its rationale for the appointment.
"I would consider him a Sabahan of Sarawak origin, as not every Sabahan was born in the state.
"Know that he's been in Sabah for many years, and ran a business here for many years," said the former chief minister.
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