KOTA KINABALU: Parti Warisan is insisting that it did not get any allocations for assemblymen, although Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor has said otherwise.
Warisan president Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal said that even if funds had been channelled, the party – which is in the state opposition but part of the Federal unity government – did not receive any.
“We just want to make it clear that we did not get any funding,” he said after the state assembly sitting here on Thursday (April 25).
He said the opposition provides checks and balances to the government, and was not there to fight it.
On Wednesday (April 24), Hajiji said the state government did not sideline any districts helmed by opposition lawmakers, and had provided allocations through the relevant district offices.
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He also said opposition assemblymen could ask him directly for funding if there was a pressing need.
Commenting on the assembly meeting, which concluded Thursday, Shafie said the government must do everything in its power to collect backdated loans from government-linked companies via Sabah Credit.
He said when he was chief minister, he brought such debtors to court and managed to get some money back for the state.
He said these funds are meant for the development of the state and must be collected.
Shaife also touched on the Tawau gold mining issue, saying that it has to be dealt with properly because there is a dispute between the landowner and the mining company.
He also advised the state government to continue finding ways to maximise revenue and cut down on leakages.
