By Daniel John Jambun, President
Change Advocate Movement Sabah (CAMOS)
KOTA KINABALU: To the people of Kudat, Pitas, and surrounding areas — the time has come to demand accountability. The Pitas Prawn Farm (PPF), once hailed as a “transformative mega-project” to create 10,000 jobs and turn Pitas into a global shrimp export hub, has instead collapsed into one of Sabah’s biggest economic and environmental scandals.
GRS leaders may now claim, “This wasn’t our project,” but Hajiji Noor and Masidi Manjun were cabinet ministers in the previous BN government that approved this disastrous scheme. They were part of the decision-making table when billions of ringgit of public money were committed without proper feasibility studies. They cannot run away from their fingerprints on this failure.
The Facts Are Clear — RM1.3 Billion Burnt, Nothing to Show
Official audits and investigations reveal:
Only 3 of 231 ponds were operational.
Production was less than 1% of target.
RM1.18 billion spent by 2019, with no significant revenue.
Contracts awarded without open tenders — enriching cronies instead of the rakyat.
Massive infrastructure failures: leaking pipes, broken pumps, decaying facilities.
This isn’t just poor governance — it’s a betrayal of public trust.
Broken Promises, Broken Communities
GRS politicians promised 10,000 jobs for Pitas and Kudat. The truth? Almost zero employment for locals. Instead, the people got:
Polluted waterways.
Destroyed mangroves.
Loss of traditional fishing grounds.
Land disputes and community displacement.
The mega-farm was built on unsuitable land with acid sulfate soils, a well-known aquaculture hazard. Expert warnings were ignored because politicians wanted a “prestige project” to boost their image.
A Pattern of GRS Governance — Big Talk, Bigger Failure
The PPF disaster shows exactly how GRS operates:
Top-down political ego projects with no scientific grounding.
Cronyism and sweetheart contracts without transparency.
Environmental destruction that will take decades to recover.
Zero accountability when things collapse.
Now, GRS leaders — including the same Hajiji and Masidi who sat in the BN cabinet that approved this mess — want another term in power. If they couldn’t protect Sabah’s money and environment then, why should we trust them now?
Kudat & Pitas Deserve Better
This election, voters must send a clear message:
No more failed mega-projects.
No more debt without returns.
No more environmental vandalism.
We need leaders who will prioritise sustainable, community-based economic development that genuinely creates jobs, protects our environment, and respects local livelihoods.
The Message to GRS Is Simple
You were there when RM1.3 billion of our money was wasted. You approved it. You failed to protect our future. You will not get our vote again.
