Kota Kinabalu: Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Vice President David Ong called on Sabah Umno to stop shifting blame and take responsibility for the issues it left behind during its tenure in government.
Ong was responding to Sabah Umno Assistant Secretary Alfian Sambas’ statement accusing the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS)-led State Government of failing to manage infrastructure problems.
He said Umno was responsible for these longstanding issues, highlighting its mismanagement of key development projects while in power.
“Instead of pointing fingers at the GRS government, Umno should explain why these problems exist in the first place,” Ong said.
He criticised Sabah Umno Chief Datuk Seri Bung Moktar’s leadership the as Deputy Chief Minister and Minister of Works, saying Sabah’s road conditions remained among the worst in Malaysia during his tenure.
“What exactly did Sabah Umno do to fix these problems? Bung contributed nothing but corruption cases, not development,” he said.
He pointed to Kinabatangan, Bung’s constituency, as an example of Umno’s failure to address public infrastructure. Roads in the area, he said, were riddled with potholes and remained poorly maintained under Bung’s oversight.
“Did he fix them? No. Real repairs and improvements only began after the GRS government took over,” Ong added.
Sabah’s ongoing water crisis was another issue Ong highlighted, accusing Umno of prioritising politics over solutions.
He said Bung, despite being in a position to address the problem, failed to act, leaving the burden on the current administration.
In contrast, he pointed out that GRS had secured RM320 million in federal funding to tackle critical water shortages and expand water treatment facilities.
Ong also said the GRS-led government has allocated RM2.6 billion for infrastructure repairs.
“The people of Sabah want real action, not excuses. While Umno talks, GRS works,” Ong asserted, urging Sabah Umno to take accountability and move beyond playing the victim.