Statement by Daniel John Jambun, Borrneo’s Plight in Malaysia Foundation (BoPiMaFo) & Change Advocate Movement Sabah (CAMOS)
KOTA KINABALU: We take note of the commentary issued by Datuk Seri Panglima Clarence Bongkos Malakun, which attempts to paint Warisan and Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal as architects of chaos, while conveniently whitewashing the failures, contradictions, and broken promises of the current GRS administration.
Let us now respond — point by point — to expose the distortions and defend the truth that the people of Sabah deserve.
Shafie Apdal’s Appointment Was Lawful — Not “Murky”
Malakun’s central claim — that Shafie’s appointment as Chief Minister was “murky” — wilfully ignores the constitutional principle of majority confidence.
Yes, Musa Aman was initially sworn in. But within 48 hours, six UPKO assemblymen publicly withdrew support from BN and pledged allegiance to Warisan and its allies — giving Shafie a clear majority in the 60-seat State Assembly.
Under the Federal Constitution and the precedent of USNO v PBS (1985), this is the only test that matters.
Musa filed a court case, but later withdrew it — not out of nobility, but because he could no longer prove majority support. You don’t drop a constitutional challenge if you’re confident. You drop it when the numbers no longer favour you.
On Procurement Transparency — Unlike GRS, Warisan Did Not Use Contracts to Enrich Cronies
Malakun’s accusation that Warisan sabotaged infrastructure is not just misleading — it is blatantly false.
Telibong II Was Never Cancelled by Warisan:
As confirmed by former Water Department Director Datuk Amarjit Singh, the Telibong II water treatment plant was never cancelled by the Warisan government.
The project was initiated in 2018 and only saw a termination of contract due to a Federal Ministry of Finance directive affecting projects below 15% completion. The project was re-tendered and continued — reaching 99.7% completion by 2024.
No Sandakan WTP Was Cancelled — Because None Was Ever Approved:
There was no new water treatment plant approved or shelved in Sandakan during Warisan’s time. Efforts focused on reactivating boreholes, building new storage tanks, and stabilising the existing Hilltop plant. Malakun’s claim is unfounded and unsupported by any official record.
Ironically, Clarence points to Peter Anthony’s conviction — which actually proves Warisan did not protect wrongdoers. The law took its course.
Compare that to GRS, which continues to reward defectors and figures under investigation.
Warisan Came to Power Through Constitutional Majority — GRS Did Not Win 2020 as a Formal Coalition
In 2018, Warisan formed the government legally by assembling a majority — just as it happens in Westminster-style democracies. No law broken. No seats stolen.
In contrast, GRS did not even contest GE16 as a registered coalition. It was a post-election patchwork of defectors and opportunists. No shared logo. No manifesto. No mandate.
And while Warisan’s legitimacy was tested in court, GRS’s came from backroom deals and political betrayal. If Warisan “didn’t win,” then GRS never even stood.
The “Sempornisation” Narrative Is a Racial Dog Whistle — and an Act of Desperation
Referring to “Sempornisation” is not just dog-whistle politics — it’s downright dangerous.
Warisan’s leadership was multiethnic in action, not just appearance — from Kadazandusun technocrats to Chinese, Murut, and Bajau leaders. No single ethnicity dominated the decision-making process.
GRS, however, must explain the influx of politically connected appointments while qualified professionals and grassroots leaders remain sidelined.
On Project IC 2.0 — GRS’s Silence Is the Real Betrayal
Malakun tries to resurrect old accusations that Warisan was behind “Project IC 2.0,” yet GRS has done absolutely nothing to investigate the matter since taking over in 2020.
Where is the promised Royal Commission follow-up? Where is the reform of NRD and Immigration processes?
Instead, what we have is this:
Peer Mohd Kadir, who openly admitted before the RCI that he obtained his IC through dubious means, was appointed by GRS to the board of Sawit Kinabalu and even awarded the Ahli Darjah Kinabalu (ADK).
Meanwhile, thousands of deserving teachers, nurses, and civil servants have not even been recognised with a Certificate of Honour (CH).
And here’s the crucial point:
lDatuk Abidin Madingkir, in the official Hansard of the Sabah State Assembly, confirmed that Warisan never issued any ICs or temporary cards, because these matters fall strictly under the jurisdiction of the Federal Government — not the State Government.
So let’s be clear:
Not a single IC was issued by Warisan — because we do not have the legal authority to do so. Clarence’s repeated insinuations are not only false, they are maliciously misleading.
Further, the numbers speak volumes:
2020: 810,400 non-Malaysian citizens in Sabah
2024: 1,043,400 non-Malaysian citizens in Sabah
(Source: DOSM)
That’s an increase of over 230,000 in just four years — under GRS.
Is this natural growth? Or is GRS presiding over the quiet expansion of the PTI problem they once promised to solve?
Add to this:
NRD mobile units appearing in squatter zones after suspicious fires;
Mass gatherings at Wisma Dang Bandang with no clear immigration enforcement follow-through;
The people deserve answers — not more scapegoating.
Sabahans Remember GRS’s Broken Promises — Not Warisan’s Rhetoric
Let Clarence accuse us of “being haunted by memory” — the rakyat remembers very clearly:
The RM5 billion in bad loans buried at Sabah Development Bank;
The worsening water and electricity crisis, despite billions in allocations;
The failure to secure Sabah’s 40% revenue entitlement, despite loud promises;
The rise in hardcore poverty, even after record federal grants;
And a culture of abuse, cover-up, and selective governance.
FINAL WORD
Clarence Malakun is welcome to defend GRS — but he should stop hiding behind honorary titles and manufactured narratives.
He is no longer a neutral elder statesman. He is a partisan spokesperson for a crumbling coalition built on betrayal, not merit.
Sabah deserves better. We deserve truth, competence, and integrity — not political theatre, racial scapegoating, and selective amnesia.
The people of Sabah are watching. And they are ready — for a Reset.
