KOTA KINABALU: Warisan President Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal is urging those who link his administration to delays in the Sabah Pan Borneo Highway project to carefully examine and comprehend the Auditor General’s Report before making any accusations.
The former Sabah Chief Minister stressed that this report contains comprehensive information about the project’s progress, including its implementation performance prior to Warisan taking over state administration in 2018.
According to him, the audit report is an official document that should serve as the proper reference for evaluating the project’s overall trajectory.
“Please read the Auditor General’s Report, which is quite thorough. This is not a party report, not a Semporna Member of Parliament’s report.
“Even before Warisan Sabah governed, look at the performance in 2015 and 2016, how the project progressed until 2018,” he stated during a press conference here on Wednesday.
He made these remarks in response to calls from Malaysian People’s Power Movement (G57) Chairman Datuk Zulkarnain Mahdar for the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to summon him to provide testimony regarding the implementation of the Sabah Pan Borneo project.
Continuing his remarks, Shafie denied allegations that the Warisan administration had terminated the construction company’s contract while managing the state government.
“Warisan never terminated any contractor in Sabah during our previous administration.
“The contractors remain in place until now,” he stated.
According to him, the change in the Project Delivery Partner (PDP) model should not be equated with the termination of the construction company’s contract implementing the project.
Shafie also questioned the management of the Pan Borneo Sabah project at its initial stage, particularly regarding allegations of involvement by a former UMNO Youth leader in Sabah in managing the PDP.
“I only question why, at the initial stage, the PDP was managed by a former UMNO Youth executive in Sabah, when public funds involving RM17 billion were at stake?
“Read the audit report,” he said.
However, he did not specify the identity of the individual referred to in his statement.
Shafie also raised the implementation of the Pan Borneo project in Sarawak as a comparison, while emphasising that changes to the project management model should be evaluated based on its overall implementation record.
He stated that those questioning the previous administration’s decision should examine the audit findings comprehensively, including project developments before and after Warisan took over the state government.
He stressed that assessment of delays in the Pan Borneo Sabah project must be based on facts and official records, rather than political accusations alone.
