Umno vice president Shafie tells the Sabah government not to block projects initiated by his ministry out of fear that he wanted to take over the state.
PAPAR: A tussle for power in Sabah Umno is holding up the distribution of development funds and the implementation of rural projects in the state.
Shafie Apdal, the under siege Umno vice president, confronted his detractors in Sabah aligned to Chief Minister Musa Aman who alleged that he is planning to topple the present state leadership, and urged the state government to remove the blocks to projects his ministry had approved.
The national Rural and Regional Development Minister said he was merely doing his job going around the state to see first hand specific areas where his ministry could help bring development.
Suspicions have been raised among those close to Musa that Shafie and his circle are bent on wresting the Chief Minister’s post from Musa and the situation has reached the extent where a concerted effort has been made to prevent him from speaking to Umno delegates in various divisions around the state.
Acknowledging this after officiating at the Papar Umno annual delegates’ conference at Dewan Datuk Salleh Sulong here Saturday, he said he had “no problem with other people … they (may) have problems with me,” in reference to the “cold war” among Sabah Umno leaders.
He was asked to comment on the statement by Umno Youth wing chief, Khairy Jamaluddin that the change in the state Umno Youth leadership happened because of the “cold war” between the Umno leaders in Sabah.
“When I was the Defence Deputy Minister, I used to come down to Semporna and when I was the Minister of (Domestic Trade and) Consumer Affairs I used to go to Semporna too until people claimed I only prioritise Semporna.
“So when I go to other villages, people say I want to overturn the government. How can it be that because I want to build homes for the needy that I want to take over power?” asked the Sabah born leader.
Shafie said it was up to the top leadership to make appointments because the positions are not a right nor it can be demanded.
“I am not saying that we must get this and not get that (because) this is up to the leadership,” he said.
“Our position will not be forever and this is politics. But I have no problems (with other Umno leaders),” he said, adding that in this respect, he had proposed that major projects under his ministry to be launched by state heads to share the success.
Work towards GE
In a thinly veiled criticism of his detractors, he said they should pay more attention on resolving problems in the state in order to face the impending 13th general election with confidence.
“I don’t have this big ambition and obsession to grab positions but what I am chasing after is to serve for the people,” he told the delegates.
He said his ministry was given the biggest allocation ever to the tune of more than RM16 billion to be channeled for the development to all the states in the country within three years.
“And you say I am power crazy (but) my ministry’s allocation is so much bigger than the budget allocation for Sabah or Sarawak, Johor among others,” he said.
Shafie said that as party vice president he had been invited to officiate the opening of several Umno divisional meetings in the peninsula and that there was no reason for him not to accept the invitation from the Papar division.
He said there had been several other allegations hurled against him just because he was doing his work.
“But I am a man of clear conscience. I won’t talk differently behind other people’s back … it is important to be truthful, sincere and struggle for the people. To me politics is the best platform for us to work together and help the people,” he said.
He said one should not fear in fighting for the truth for the benefit of the people as this was what Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak was actually doing through the reform exercises so that the people would support the government.
“Just because we are in power we are complacent, we fail to help the people,” he said, adding that such situation would make it difficult for Umno-led Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition to win the coming election.
Rapping his colleagues within Sabah Umno for creating disunity within the party, he said leaders at all levels must remain united and prevent crony politics in Sabah Umno.
Shafie also said that the state authorities must also expedite the implementation of all development projects approved by his ministry for Sabah.
“If we continue to delay it I am sure the people will lose their patience and we may pay the price in the coming election,” he said.
“Be united … don’t jostle for positions and don’t be afraid to lose these positions or properties because if we cannot bring all with us when we die,” he said.
By Charlie Rudai FMT
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