Kota Kinabalu: An Opposition Assemblyman, Monday, urged Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor to place firm emphasis on integrity among all government-linked company (GLC) leaders, warning that corruption and abuse of power must not be tolerated at any level.
Merotai Assemblyman Sarifuddin Hata said any chief executive officer (CEO), deputy CEO or officer found to have abused power should be dismissed rather than transferred or promoted, stressing that decisive action was necessary to restore public confidence in state-owned entities.
Sarifuddin sought clarification from the Chief Minister on reports that a deputy CEO of a GLC, who was allegedly found guilty of misconduct following a domestic inquiry, was being considered for promotion to become CEO of another GLC.
“If this appointment is true, I believe it is inappropriate and will normalise misconduct and corruption among public servants and GLCs,” he said during the debate on the 2026 State Budget at the State Legislative Assembly.
He said such a move would send the wrong message and undermine efforts to uphold accountability, adding that the appointment should not proceed and that appropriate legal action should instead be taken to protect GLCs from malpractice and corruption.
Sarifuddin welcomed remarks by Deputy Chief Minister cum State Finance Minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun, who said that integrity, transparency, accountability and managerial efficiency reflected public confidence in the Sabah Government’s ability to manage assets and public investments effectively.
He also expressed support for the Chief Minister’s directive, reported in the media, requiring all CEOs, group general managers and general managers of GLCs and statutory bodies to submit written performance reports every three months starting next year.
“This is a positive step to ensure all state GLCs and statutory bodies remain focused on efficient and ethical governance while improving their annual profitability,” he said.
Sarifuddin further noted the significant increase in funding for integrity units, from RM764,000 in 2025 to RM1.944 million in 2026, describing the allocation as crucial for programmes aimed at strengthening integrity among civil servants.
“I fully support this expenditure because it is important for building a culture of integrity within the public service,” he said.
Turning to water management, Sarifuddin questioned the State Government’s proposal to revive privatised contracts for water treatment plant management, warning that the move could lead to waste and leakage of public funds if not explained transparently.
He asked the Finance Minister to clarify whether the outsourced contracts referred to in the Budget involved the same water treatment plant management contracts that were terminated in 2020.
Sarifuddin reminded the House that the earlier termination of outsourcing contracts had saved the State government billions of ringgit in the long term, and questioned the rationale for reviving a model that was abandoned for cost efficiency and better governance.
He demanded detailed explanations from the Finance Ministry on the proposed contract duration, annual financial value, the number of water treatment plants across Sabah affected, and the companies expected to be appointed.
He also asked what real added value the government and the people would gain if water treatment plant management were returned to private operators instead of being handled internally by the Sabah Water Department.
“Any decision to reintroduce outsourcing must be supported by clear and convincing justification, especially when Sabah is still facing water supply problems and financial constraints,” he said.
Sarifuddin also raised concerns about the fate of workers who were absorbed into the Sabah Water Department after outsourcing contracts were terminated in 2020, urging the government to clarify the impact of any new decision on their welfare and employment status.
On spending under the Chief Minister’s Department, Sarifuddin recalled that he had raised concerns during the 2025 Budget about leakage and wastage involving RM8.221 million allocated for press and publication activities.
He said although the allocation had been reduced to RM4.726 million in the 2026 Budget, he still viewed it as wasteful, claiming the spending was largely for paid media operations and cyber troopers.
“There is no need to spend so much on cyber troopers when the money would be better used for student scholarships or to address road and water problems in rural areas,” he said.
Sarifuddin reminded the government that public funds were limited and belonged to the people, cautioning against using them for political interests.
“Public money must be spent according to the people’s priorities, especially to improve basic facilities,” he said.
He said he was saddened by remarks from the Kuamut Assemblyman about the lack of roads in several villages in the Kuamut constituency, describing it as a stark reminder of ongoing rural infrastructure neglect.
Focusing on his own constituency, Sarifuddin again raised the long-standing issue of the Merotai–Kalabakan road, saying ministerial changes over the years had not translated into improvements on the ground.
“The condition of the road is getting more worrying by the day,” he said, calling on the newly appointed Sabah Works Minister to visit the area personally and take appropriate action.
Sarifuddin noted that while the Budget mentioned high-impact projects including Phase 1B of the Pan Borneo Highway covering 388 kilometres, the Kalabakan road was not included in any Pan Borneo phase.
He reiterated his call for the road to be regularly maintained and upgraded back to a tarred surface, as many sections had been damaged for years.
He also urged the Public Works Department to frequently monitor and maintain Jalan Gudang 4, which he said had suffered severe damage due to overloaded lorries used for the construction of the Cinta Mata Dam.
“These overloaded lorries have badly damaged roads along Kampung Gudang 4 and pose a danger to road users,” he said.
Beyond roads, Sarifuddin proposed that the Health Ministry and Health Department reopen the Semarak Garden health clinic to ease access to follow-up treatment for residents.
He said the move was necessary as the Kubota Health Clinic was overcrowded on a daily basis.
Sarifuddin also highlighted weak internet connectivity at SK Brumas, noting that Starlink services previously provided by the Education Ministry had been terminated without explanation.
He suggested that Sabah Softwoods Sdn Bhd consider providing Starlink services to the school as part of its corporate social responsibility programme.
On Federal-State relations, Sarifuddin stressed that the 40 per cent revenue entitlement from the Federal Government must be prioritised and expedited.
“The 40 per cent is an absolute right that must be fulfilled by the Federal Government without compromise because it is enshrined in the Malaysia Agreement 1963,” he said.
He said he would personally support any effort by the Sabah Government to realise the claim.
Sarifuddin proposed the establishment of a state assembly-level committee on the Malaysia Agreement 1963 involving all parties, including the opposition.
He also emphasised that the Opposition did not reject the Budget simply because it sat on the other side of the House.
“Our role as the Opposition is to provide checks and balances, ensuring every sen of public money is spent with trust, transparency and effectiveness,” he said.
He stressed that the Budget belonged to the people rather than the government of the day, adding that the opposition was not an enemy of development but “the last line of defence” for the rakyat.
“This means supporting allocations that benefit the people while rejecting or proposing improvements to spending that is unreasonable or not a priority for the people,” he said.