PENAMPANG: The sum of RM184 million allocated to enhance Sabah security has yet to be utilised, revealed Economic Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali.
Azmin said the allocation was approved this year by the former government but no projects on boosting maritime security, particularly in the state’s east coast, have been identified thus far.
“We have entered the fourth quarter but no money (from the allocation) has been spent yet. There are no projects identified to guarantee the security of Sabah waters.
“The Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom) and maritime are facing problems.
“The chief minister (Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal) has informed me that the state government had spent RM600,000 to provide diesel for boats belonging to the security forces,” he said, today.
Azmin, who is PKR deputy president, said the security assets were not being managed properly and responsibly since the state government had to bear the expenses despite having RM184 million approved allocation.
He was speaking to reporters after attending a closed-door meeting and gathering with the state’s PKR council leadership here, today.
On Sept 11, two Indonesian fishermen were kidnapped by two masked men believed armed with M16 riffles after they stormed a fishing boat in Pulau Gaya waters off Semporna. The kidnappers were suspected to be members of a kidnap-for-ransom group.
Azmin said he attended a World Economic Forum in Hanoi (Vietnam) three days ago, where the Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi had met him to seek assistance from the Malaysian and Sabah governments in rescuing the victims.
“I’ve informed about this to (Foreign Minister) Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah.
“Wisma Putra and state government is working with the security forces. If this (kidnapping event) is not tackled it will jeopardise Sabah’s safety and tourism, which eventually will affect the state economy,” he said.
Azmin said he had sat with Shafie to discuss the matter, adding security issue was also highlighted during the state economic development briefing last night.
Other issues discussed included fine-tuning payment method of the state’s oil royalty claim, stressing a special cabinet committee is formed with representatives from Sabah and Sarawak.
Azmin said the cabinet committee was given six months to discuss and come up with recommendations prior to making decision, stressing it will consult the two states to ensure the Malaysian Agreement 1963 (MA63) was complied with.
On bringing progress to East Malaysia, he said the Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had urged all cabinet ministers to ensure Sabah and Sarawak get fair development.
On the RM4.1 billion development allocation approved for Sabah, Azmin said he would ensure the fund was fully utilised, with priority given to education to ensure all dilapidated schools were improved.
“The process done by the previous regime was not sincere and this disrupted the development (of dilapidated schools). Though the state public works department had successfully managed 37 rundown schools, 84 schools given Umno contracts were abandoned,” he said.
In view of this, Azmin had instructed the Economic Planning Unit to complete a cabinet paper to ensure allocation was channeled directly to the state government.
Meanwhile, on Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) warning party deputy president-aspirant Rafizi Ramli to stay away from Port Dickson, Azmin said: “I call on all party members, including Pakatan Harapan (PH), to ensure Port Dickson remains in the hand of PH.”
He did not elaborate.
Yesterday Port Dickson Bersatu division coordinator Ramli Awang warned Rafizi and Kapar Member of Parliament Datuk Abdullah Sani Abdul Hamid against coming to Port Dickson, adding they would not be able to guarantee support of some 2,000 party members in the area for Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.