Pairin: State had nothing to do with stolen funds
KOTA KINABALU: The state government had nothing to do with the RM3.3bil Federal Government allocation to the Sabah Water Department, from which a large amount has been siphoned off.
Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan said the projects allocated since 2010 came under the Rural and Regional Development Ministry.
Sabahan Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal held the portfolio until 2015, when he was dropped from the Cabinet.
Pairin, who heads the state Industrial Development Ministry, said his ministry had no knowledge of the allocations as the water agency was the implementing agency for the federal funds.
Pairin said the procurement of the projects as well as the payments were handled by the federal ministry and the state water department.
“In light of this development, my ministry will study and propose an appropriate reporting system,” he said.
Investigators are looking into the possibility of some VIPS having links to the bribery and money laundering that have now been uncovered.
The sources, however, said it was still premature to speculate.
Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman had to step in to put an end to rumours linking the case to Kimanis Umno and also him.
Anifah, the Kimanis Umno division head, said MACC should be allowed to do its job.
He also threatened to take action if the defamatory statements continued to be published.
The Kimanis Umno link came as both the Sabah Water Department director Ag Tahir Ag Talib and his deputy Teo Chee Kong are from Beaufort and the Kimanis area.
There were claims on social media that Ag Tahir was the Kimanis Umno treasurer. This has since been denied. Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman has also ordered an immediate review of procurement procedures, and monitoring and financial management of all state departments and agencies, particularly those involving allocations and funds outside the state budget.
Musa, who is also state Finance Minister, gave an assurance that the review would not affect the ongoing MACC investigations.