APS backs call for White Paper on Sabah ‘watergate’ scandal

KENINGAU: Keningau Angkatan Perpaduan Sabah (APS) chairman Paul Kadau welcomed the call by Parti Warisan Sabah to the state government to submit a White Paper on the Sabah 'Watergate' scandal.

"The leaders of Barisan Nasional (BN) and Umno should be sincere and courageous in admitting if there are weaknesses or guilt.

"But certain leaders remain adamant in not admitting their faults and weaknesses," he said.

Furthermore, Paul said the state government leaders should not have attributed the scandal to weak or lack of coordination between the federal and state governments when they were already aware that the project involved was worth hundreds of millions of Ringgit.

"I also understand that the state government created the post of Project Inspector which is responsible for monitoring mega projects. So why is the 'Watergate' scandal still going on?

"With regards to this issue, the people should dare to criticise BN/Umno leaders because if the people fear the government, it gives birth to dictatorship, corruption and deceit. But if the government fears the people, it leads to freedom and prosperity," he said.

Warisan has urged the state cabinet to come up with a White Paper on the Sabah 'Watergate' scandal to prove that the state government is serious in combating corruption and abuse of taxpayer monies within the state departments and agencies.

"As far as we know, our Chief Minister has only given us a verbal assurance that the state government will review all existing procedures relating to projects involving both the federal and state governments," said Warisan secretary general Loretto Padua Jr in a statement on Tuesday.

"As clients cum taxpayers who actually funded the Sabah Water Department through bills paid and GST collected, every Sabahan has the right to know what actually transpired in the scandal," he stressed.