KOTA KINABALU: A significant number of Government Linked Companies (GLC) in Sabah have their Board of Directors or Chairman appointed by the current GRS state government, while UMNO leaders and members are excluded from these and other political appointments.
However, Sabah UMNO Information chief Datuk Suhaimi Haji Nasir asserted that Sabah UMNO has never disputed or brought up the matter of the Chairman’s or Board of Directors’ (GLC) appointment of GRS during a session of the Sabah State Legislative Assembly (DUN).
He said that even though the positions of chairman and members of the board of directors are filled by members of the People’s Representatives and divisional heads, including cronies from the GLC, Sabah UMNO never politicised it as an issue during the DUN session.
Therefore, Sindumin assemblyman Datuk Dr Yusof Yakob’s actions of provocation and defamation during the recent state assembly session, which disputed the appointment of UMNO divisional heads as Chairman of the Giat Mara Central Advisory Committee in their respective parliamentary areas in Sabah, are considered inappropriate and outrageous, he said.
“It is not appropriate for him (Yusof) to raise this issue in a debate speech at the state assembly…the state assembly is a platform to bring development issues to the people, not to politicise the issue by attacking other political parties.
“As a former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives (Dewan Rakyat), he should be more sensitive and understand the rules of the House where the issues raised need to focus on people’s development issues instead of touching on political issues,” he said when asked to comment on Yusof’s actions in raising the issue at the recent Sabah state legislative assembly meeting.
According to Suhaimi, who is also Libaran Member of Parliament,, Yusof’s actions in bringing up the issue were not only an extreme provocation but also slanderous.
According to Suhaimi, he, as the divisional head of UMNO, was not appointed to the position.
“I don’t understand why he (Yusof) brought this issue up in the debate at the state assembly; he hates and is so angry with UMNO when with this sacred party he got too many blessings,” he said.
Suhaimi added that Yusof’s statement during the debate session was an outright slander and lie.
“That’s why, during the debate, I asked him (Yusof) to retract that statement,” Suhamimi stressed.
