KOTA KINABALU: Putatan UMNO Chief Jeffery Nor Mohamed has expressed his support for the proposal by Deputy Chief Minister III, Datuk Ewon Benedick, regarding the appointment of corporate members to state-owned companies (GLCs).
He stressed that it is widely understood that state-owned GLCs are established to provide primary income for the state government.
Therefore, Jeffery mentioned that the fundamental changes to the structure or system of appointing board members (BOD) of GLCs must be based on merit and the capabilities of individuals, particularly their ability to manage effectively to generate progressive income.
“The corporate culture in GLCs needs to be implemented immediately; the previous mindset or culture must change. GLCs in Sabah should not merely serve as a complement to political leverage as they did before.
“Creative ideas such as creating opportunities for diverse human resources, innovative business opportunities, and collaborations both locally and internationally should be pursued to open new avenues for input ideas and additional financial resources without overly relying on state government assistance. ‘Thinks global’ should be among the targets for every GLC in Sabah,” he said in a statement today.
In this regard, Jeffery welcomed the Chief Minister of Sabah’s decision requiring GLCs to submit reports every three months.
“I fully agree with this proposal to eliminate any ‘playful’ thinking as seen in the past. Any GLC under any ministry in Sabah that does not perform well can be reviewed for consolidation with other GLCs in the same ministry to reduce credit liability and also cut costs, or in other words, save money to turn liabilities into profits,” he said.
In this case, Jeffery stated that the involved GLC companies need to move from their comfort zone to having the courage to create something innovative.
“I want to see GLCs become the main catalyst for the state government’s revenue in Sabah and be able to return it to the people of Sabah in various forms of assistance,” he said.
