Shafie Apdal denies paying large amount of money to artiste

As reported by The Star Online on Monday, 23rd April 2012.

KUALA LUMPUR: Rural and Regional Development Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal on Monday, 23rd April 2012, issued a press statement regarding a police report lodged by a man alleging that the minister had paid a large amount of money to a local artiste.

“I have been following closely various reports in the media and blogs that have linked my name to a police report dated March 13, 2012, by a person named Noor Azman Azemi, who claims to be under my employ as a driver, linking me with the payment of a large amount of money to an artiste by the name of Zahida Mohamed Rafik.

“I wish to state that everything that has been mentioned in the police report is completely untrue and that the subsequent comments by individuals who have distributed copies of the police report is with bad intent and politically motivated.

“I am prepared to take legal action against anyone who continues to defame me and link me with this issue,” he said.



Meanwhile Zahida Rafik, who is accused of having an affair with a Cabinet minister, has threatened legal action against those implicating her.

She said on Twitter that she had already consulted her lawyers.

“I am not keeping quiet.

“My lawyers are in the midst of settling the matter. So let them handle it.

“Wait for the good news.” she said in response to a tweet asking why she was not responding to the allegations.

Online portals reported on Wednesday, 18th April 2012, that Zahida's driver, Noor Azman Azemi, had made a police report claiming that the actress received RM1.5mil from the minister over a span of four months.

PKR Wanita chief Zuraida Kamaruddin had highlighted the matter and distributed the police report to the media.

In the police report, the driver claimed that, among others, the actress received RM58,000 last October, RM112,000 in November, RM330,000 in December and RM510,000 in January.

The actress responded to other Twitter users who ridiculed and accused her of receiving the money.

One user asked asked: “Are you the minister's mistress?

“It is no wonder then that you live so glamorously.”

Zahida responded to almost every comment with statements like: “I have time to reply now while I wait at the bank for my millions” and “I feel sorry for my ex-driver, making up false stories just for money. May Allah bless him.”

Shafie Apdal : Dakwaan dia beri wang kepada Zahida Rafik, berniat jahat

Sepertimana dilaporkan Sinar Harian.

SHAH ALAM, 23 April 2012 - Datuk Seri Shafie Afdal hari ini secara terbuka menafikan dengan sekeras-kerasnya dakwaan bekas pemandunya, Noor Azman Azemi yang mengaitkan beliau dengan pembayaran wang dalam jumlah yang besar kepada seorang artis Zahida Rafik sejak beberapa tahun lalu.

Dalam satu kenyataan dikeluarkan petang ini, Menteri Kemajuan Luar Bandar dan Wilayah itu berkata, segala maklumat yang disebutkan dalam laporan polis yang dibuat oleh Noor Azman, yang dibuat bulan lalu, adalah tidak benar sama sekali.

“Saya mengikuti dengan rapat beberapa laporan dalam media dan blog-blog tempatan yang telah mengaitkan nama saya dengan satu laporan polis oleh seorang yang bernama Noor Azman bin Azemi yang bertarikh 13 Mac 2012, yang mendakwa bekerja sebagai pemandu di bawah saya, dan mengaitkan saya dengan pembayaran wang yang sebegitu banyak kepada seorang artis bernama Zahida Binti Mohamed Rafik,” kata beliau yang juga Naib Presiden Umno.

Shafie berkata, tindakan segelintir pihak yang menyebarkan laporan polis tersebut sebagai berniat jahat yang bermotifkan kepentingan politik pihak tertentu.

Dalam kenyataannya, Shafie turut menegaskan, beliau tidak akan teragak-agak untuk mengambil tindakan undang-undang terhadap mana-mana pihak yang berterusan memfitnah dan mengaitkan namanya dengan isu tersebut.


Zahida Rafik

Zahida sebelum ini membuat laporan polis terhadap Noor Azman yang dikatakan telah melarikan sejumlah RM200,000 wang syarikatnya setelah meminta pemandunya itu memasukkan wang tersebut dalam akaun syarikat perniagaan milik keluarganya.

Minggu lalu, Noor Azman pula membuat laporan polis mendakwa bahawa seorang menteri Kabinet menyerahkan wang sejumlah RM1.5 juta kepada Zahida.

Spekulasi itu terus meruncing apabila beberapa pemimpin parti politik pembangkang membuat sidang akhbar menyebarkan dakwaan tersebut dengan mengaitkan nama Shafie sebagai menteri terbabit yang memberikan wang beberapa kali kepada Zahida dalam jumlah yang besar.

Noor Azman, 38, yang bekerja sebagai pemandu peribadi Zahida sejak tiga tahun lalu mendedahkan skandal itu dalam laporan polis terhadap artis itu, yang menuduhnya melarikan wang RM200,00. Tuduhan Zahida terhadap Noor Azman itu dilaporkan sebuah akhbar pada 3 Mac lalu.

Berikut kenyataan penuh Datuk Seri Shafie:

“Saya mengikuti dengan rapat beberapa laporan di dalam media dan blog-blog tempatan yang telah mengaitkan nama saya dengan satu laporan polis oleh seorang yang bernama Noor Azman bin Azemi (No. K/P: 740214146237) No report AMPANG/007017/12 yang bertarikh 13 Mac 2012 yang mendakwa bekerja sebagai pemandu di bawah saya, dan mengaitkan saya dengan pembayaran wang yang sebegitu banyak kepada seorang artis bernama Zahida Binti Mohamed Rafik,” katanya.


“Dengan ini, saya ingin menyatakan bahawa semua yang tertera di dalam laporan polis berkenaan adalah TIDAK BENAR sama sekali dan kenyataan-kenyataan iringan oleh individu yang menyebarluaskan salinan laporan polis berkenaan adalah BERNIAT JAHAT dan BERUNSUR POLITIK semata-mata.


“Sehubungan dengan itu, saya bersedia mengambil tindakan undang-undang terhadap sesiapa saja yang terus-terusan memfitnah saya dan mengaitkan saya dengan perkara ini.

Semporna Sabah terus dimajukan menerusi 2 projek mega dan 1 pelaburan Mega

Semporna yang terletak di Pantai Timur Sabah dikenali dengan keindahan Pulau Sipadan dan Mabul yang diiktiraf antara 2 pulau terindah dunia bagi penggemar aktiviti menyelam.

Namun usaha berterusan dilakukan kerajaan negeri Sabah dan Pusat untuk terus membangunkan Semporna menerusi 3 projek Mega.

Projek dimaksudkan ialah :

1. Jambatan Pulau Bum Bum sepanjang kira kira 1.4 kilometer menghubungkan Pulau Bum Bum dengan tanah Besar Semporna. Untuk rekod, Pulau Bum Bum yang keluasannya menyamai Singapura, mempunyai 40 ribu penduduk, 17 sekolah kebangsaan dan sebuah sekolah menengah berpusat berasrama penuh. Projek ini menelan belanja kira kira RM420 juta.

2. Pembinaan jalanraya 4 lorong dari Balung ke Semporna sejauh 41 kilometer melibatkan peruntukan kira kira 420 juta ringgit. Ketika ini jalan itu hanya ada 2 lorong, digunakan pelabur dan pelancong juga oleh penduduk Semporna untuk perjalanan seharian.

3. Penternakan udang galah menerusi usahasama Yayasan Sabah dan sebuah syarikat makanan segera Amerika Syarikat melibatkan pelaburan RM2 Billion Einggit.

Usahasama itu bakal menlonjakkan lagi ekonomi Semporna dan pantai timur Sabah itu dibangunkan bersama Inno Fisheries, sebuah anak syarikat milik penuh Yayasan Sabah dan Darden Aquafarm, sebuah anak syarikat Darden Incoprorated, pemilik Red Lobster dan rantaian restoran makanan laut Amerika Syarikat,

Projek itu merangkumi kawasan seluas 9,300 hektar di pulau Bohey Dulang, Semporna, dijangka menjana 12,000 peluang pekerjaan apabila beroperasi sepenuhnya menjelang 2020.

Darden Incoportaed berpengkalan di Orlando, Florida, Amerika Syarikat memiliki kira kira 2,000 restoran di Amerika Utara dan Kanada.

Jualan udang galah daripada projek itu dijangka mencecah RM3 bilion menjelang 2025.

Ketika ini Ahli Parlimen Semporna ialah Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal yang juga Menteri Kemajuan Luar Bandar & Wilayah Malaysia serta Naib Presiden UMNO.

Shafie Apdal, Pusat Transformasi Desa, RTP merobah imej luar bandar daripada mundur kepada pusat pertumbuhan

Jika selama ini, hanya kawasan bandar menjadi pusat pertumbuhan ekonomi, namun kerajaan Malaysia dalam Bajet 2012 yang diumumkan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Razak pada 7 Oktober 2011 lalu mahu menjadikan kawasan luar bandar sebagai pusat sedemikian.

Semuanya dirangka menerusi program Rural Transformation Program atau Program Transformasi Luar Bandar, R-T-P.

Menteri Kemajuan Luar Bandar dan Wilayah, Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal (gambar atas) berkata kawasan luar bandar itu bukan hanya dijadikan pusat aktiviti ekomoni dengan penyediaan industri pertanian, penternakan atau perladangan getah, malahan institusi kewangan, perbankan, kemudahan kesihatan, akauntan dan khidmat guaman juga disediakan.

Semua langkah itu dilakukan untuk memastikan masyarakat luar bandar di Malaysia setaraf dengan masyarakat luar bandar di negara maju dari aspek kesihatan, pendidikan, sikap dan cara hidup.

Kerajaan tidak mahu persepsi negatif mengenai luar bandar yang digambarkan melalui faktor pengangguran, banyak kemiskinan dan tiada peluang pekerjaan berleluasa dan berterusan tanpa sebarang perubahan positif.

Malaysia katanya perlu mencontohi bagaimana negara-negara maju telah berjaya mengubah imej luar bandar. Kawasan luar bandar yang berimejkan mundur, tidak maju dan tidak mempunyai nilai kekayaan telah ditukar menjadi tempat membina kehidupan yang lebih baik dan selesa disertai dengan peluang-peluang dalam bidang perekonomian dan industri.

Itulah sebab utamanya mengapa sektor luar bandar diberi penekanan yang cukup penting oleh YAB Dato’ Sri Mohd Najib Bin Tun Abdul Razak ketika menyampaikan Belanjawan 2012 pada 7 Oktober 2011 bersamaan Jumaat di Parlimen.

Menerusi Program Transformasi Luar Bandar (RTP), Kerajaan akan mengoptimumkan potensi luar bandar sebagai penjana pertumbuhan ekonomi baru.

Ketika ini kebanyakan aktiviti ekonomi berpusat di Lembah Klang ataupun di Pulau Pinang dan Johor.

Melalui program RTC, beberapa pusat transformasi luar bandar yang bertindak sebagai pusat integrasi logistik, pemprosesan dan pengedaran hasil pertanian dan berbagai aktiviti sokongan seperti perbankan dan insurans, latihan dan kemahiran, klinik dan ruang niaga, akan dibuka.

Sebagai permulaan, Kerajaan akan memajukan RTC Gopeng di Perak dan Wakaf Che Yeh, Kelantan sebagai projek perintis RTC. Di samping itu, empat lagi RTC akan dibangunkan di Kedah, Johor, Sabah dan Sarawak.

Kerajaan turut mengumumkan insentif berjumlah RM 100 juta disalurkan kepada golongan professional yang ingin menawarkan perkhidmatan guaman, perakaunan dan klinik di pekan pekan kecil seluruh negara.

Ini kerana tanpa kehadiran perkhidmatan professional di RTC, peniaga, penternak dan usahawan tani masih lagi perlu melanggan perkhidmatan tersebut di Bandar yang berdekatan.

YAB Perdana Menteri turut mengumumkan pelaksanaan Program Lonjakan Mega Luar Bandar seluas 6,500 hektar di 11 kawasan Projek Agropolitan seluruh negara yang melibatkan tanaman komoditi, penanaman kontan dan ternakan ikan sangkar akan diberi peruntukan sebanyak RM 110 juta ringgit.

Di samping itu, RISDA akan melaksanakan program tanaman baru getah dan penanaman semula getah menggunakan benih getah klon bermutu tinggi serta kelapa sawit dengan peruntukan RM 140 juta ringgit yang akan memanfaatkan hampir 20,000 pekebun kecil.

Untuk memperkukuhkan pembangunan infrastruktur asas luar bandar secara lebih komprehensif, peruntukan RM 5 bilion ringgit disediakan Kerajaan pada tahun 2012.

Daripada jumlah tersebut, RM 1.8 bilion ringgit bagi Program Jalan Luar Bandar dan Projek Jalan Perhubungan Desa untuk membina 2,749 kilometer jaringan jalan raya yang membawa manfaat kepada 1.76 juta penduduk luar bandar.

Di samping itu, RM 2.1 bilion ringgit disediakan bagi memperluas liputan bekalan air bersih kepada 200 ribu rumah serta RM 1.1 bilion ringgit lagi untuk bekalan elektrik luar bandar kepada 39 ribu buah rumah, khususnya di Sabah dan Sarawak.

Kerajaan amat menitikberatkan bekalan air bersih khususnya kepada masyarakat luar bandar termasuk di kawasan pedalaman Sabah dan Sarawak.

Untuk itu, bagi tahun 2012, negeri Sabah akan diberi peruntukan RM 50 juta ringgit bagi membekalkan 20 ribu tangki menggunakan kaedah tadahan air hujan.

Kerajaan juga sedar peri pentingnya program pembangunan usahawan Bumiputera digerakkan secara agresif termasuk meningkatkan penyertaan usahawan luar bandar dalam kegiatan ekonomi bernilai tinggi.

Berdasarkan kepada prinsip inklusif di bawah Model Baru Ekonomi, maka YAB Perdana Menteri turut mengumumkan di dalam Belanjawan 2012 bahawa sebanyak RM 200 juta diperuntukkan kepada MARA yang akan berperanan sebagai penggerak utama Program Pembangunan Usahawan Kementerian.

Daripada jumlah ini, RM 40 juta akan disalurkan kepada usahawan Bumiputera yang terlibat dalam bidang Sistem Binaan Berindustri (IBS). Melalui program ini, dua buah kilang IBS berskala industri dan 10 buah kilang IBS berskala kecil dan sederhana (IKS) Bumiputera akan diwujudkan.

Selain itu, program ini juga akan memberi impak ke arah pewujudan seramai 1000 installer/kontraktor IBS dan melahirkan lebih 5000 guna tenga IBS compliance (mahir dan separuh mahir) di kalangan Bumiputera, termasuk peningkatan Sijil Kecekapan Kemahiran (SKK) Tahap 1 hingga 3.

Kerajaan juga mengiktiraf sumbangan dan peranan yang telah dimainkan oleh usahawan kontraktor dalam membangunkan negara serta meningkatkan keberkesanan sistem penyampian kerajaan.

Peruntukan sebanyak RM 84 juta akan disalurkan kepada usahawan Bumiputera di bawah Skim Pembiayaan Kontrak Ekspres MARA atau SPiKE. Sasaran utama peruntukan ini adalah untuk meningkatkan keupayaan kontraktor Bumiputera kelas D, E dan F dalam pelbagai bidang sama ada pembinaan, perbekalan, perkhidmatan dan elektrik. Proses pengeluaran wang pembiayaan juga adalah singkat di mana MARA dapat melakukannya dalam masa tiga hari bekerja sahaja.

Kerajaan yakin melalui skim ini, ia mampu meningkatkan keupayaan dan tahap efisiensi kontraktor yang mendapat kemudahan ini.

Selain itu, di bawah peruntukan ini juga, sebanyak RM 40 juta akan disalurkan untuk Program Latihan Keusahawanan Bumiputera. Program ini merupakan teras utama untuk melahirkan IKS Bumiputera berprestasi tinggi (high performing Bumiputera SME) yang berdaya saing, berdaya maju dan berdaya tahan.

Dua komponen utama yang akan diberikan tumpuan ialah latihan keusahawanan (entrepreneurship training) dan pendidikan keusahawanan (entrepreneurship education) meliputi usaha peningkatkan kompetensi usahawan baru dan sedia ada, peningkatkan keilmuan usahawan di samping mewujudkan program bimbingan, khidmat nasihat serta konsultansi.

Melalui peruntukan ini, seramai 4,500 usahawan baru dan 2,200 orang usahawan sedia ada akan diberikan latihan di peringkat asas dan lanjutan melalui 225 program latihan/kursus/bimbingan yang bakal diwujudkan.

Kerajaan percaya, program ini dapat melahirkan usahawan Bumiputera yang risilient, kompetitif dan inovatif seterusnya dapat bersaing di pasaran terbuka hingga ke peringkat global.

Menurut Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie, sesungguhnya Belanjawan 2012 jelas menampakkan kesungguhan kerajaan untuk mengimbangi kebajikan rakyat dan kelestarian ekonomi negara.

YAB Perdana Menteri telah membentangkan satu belanjawan yang jelas mengimbangi keperluan untuk membantu meringankan beban kehidupan masyarakat dalam menangani masalah kenaikan kos kehidupan samada di bandar mahupun di desa.

Walaupun ada pihak mendakwa bahawa Belanjawan 2012 ada unsur-unsur populis, namun begitu apa yang jelas adalah pihak kerajaan telah mengekalkan disiplin fiskal bagi mengurangkan defisit belanjawan dari masa ke semasa. Ini jelas mencerminkan kebijaksanaan pihak kerajaan mengimbangi keperluan semasa dan masa depan ekonomi negara.

Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie berkata demikian ketika merasmikan Kolej RISDA di Semporna, Sabah. Ia koleh pertama seumpamanya yang ditubuhkan di Malaysia Timur.

Kolej RISDA adalah sebuah Institusi Pengajian Tinggi Swasta yang berdaftar dibawah Kementerian Pengajian Tinggi Malaysia.

Untuk menjadi sebuah institusi pengajian tinggi yang berdaya saing dan terbilang, Shafie menyarankan supaya Kolej RISDA sentiasa peka kepada keperluan pasaran dan industri dan mengenalpasti program-program akademik yang menjurus kepada keperluan pasaran guna tenaga di negara ini, supaya tidak tercicir dalam arus mega pembangunan.

Beliau turut berharap agar Kolej RISDA berjaya melahirkan pelajar-pelajar yang berdaya saing serta mempunyai kepelbagaian kemahiran dengan tidak hanya tertumpu kepada bidang pertanian sahaja tetapi juga kepada bidang keusahawanan.

NKRA Luar Bandar tepati sasaran sehingga 30 Jun 2011

Pelaksanaan Program Pembangunan Prasarana Luar Bandar di bawah bidang keberhasilan utama nasional, NKRA, berada di jadual tepat untuk disiapkan mengikut tempoh disasarkan.

Malahan pelaksanaan empat program teras di bawah NKRA luar bandar, pembinaan jalanraya, rumah dan penyambungan bekalan elektrik dan air bersih luar bandar, sudah melebihi sasaran.

Status terkini NKRA Luar Bandar setakat 30 jun 2011

Projek (Pencapaian terkini) (Sasaran)

Jalanraya 515.61 km 480.21 km
Rumah Rakyat 3,396 unit 2,100 unit
Bekalan air rumah 13,635 unit 13,414 unit
Bekalan letrik rumah 4,543 unit 3,547 unit

Bagi bekalan air luar bandar ke rumah, 13 ribu 635 unit rumah telah disambung dengan kemudahan asas itu berbanding sasaran 13 ribu 414 unit.

Manakala 4.543 unit rumah sudah mendapat bekalan elektrik luar bandar berbanding sasaran 3.547 unit rumah.

Bagi rumah rakyat pula, 3,396 unit sudah disiapkan berbanding sasaran 2,100 unit.

Sementara bagi projek jalanraya luar bandar, 515.61 kilometer sudah disiapkan berbanding sasaran 480 kilometer.

Daripada jalanraya siap itu, 144 kilometer terletak di Sabah, 96 kilometer di Sarawak dan 274 kilometer di Semenanjung Malaysia.

36 juta ringgit juga telah disalurkan kerajaan kepada Kementerian Pertahanan untuk membina rumah di penempatan orang asli melalui Program Jiwa Murni.



Menteri Kemajuan Luar Bandar dan Wilayah, Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal berkata dalam sidang media di Semporna, Sabah pada Ahad 7 Ogos 2011 berkata sebenarnya apa yang kita telah lakukan sudah menepati dari segi apa yang kita letakkan sasaran itu.

NKRA yang mempunyai 6 teras adalah hasil cetusan idea Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Tun Razak yang sememangnya pemimpin berwawasan, sama seperti Allahyarham ayahandanya, Tun Abdul Razak Hussein, perdana menteri Malaysia kedua.

Tahniah dan Syabas Kerajaan Malaysia, inilah yang kita namakan 1 Malaysia, Rakyat didahulukan, Pencapaian diutamakan.

Cold war in Sabah UMNO??

Is there a cold war brewing within Sabah UMNO, the backbone of the ruling Barisan Nasional government??

According to political observers, certain party leaders don't see eye to eye.

Certain leaders will not attend certain functions attended by certain other leaders..

This lead to public uncertainty on the current relationship between certain leaders of Sabah UMNO..

The local media has been reporting UMNO Vice President Datuk Shafie Apdal statements in which he categorically denied that he is power crazy or he has certain agendas while visiting various districts in Sabah in his capacity as the Federal Minister of Rural and Regional Development.



Shafie is the member of Parliament of Semporna in the east coast of Sabah and is the first ever Sabahan to be elected an UMNO Vice President - the third highest hierarchy in UMNO after the President who is the Prime Minister and Deputy President who is also the Deputy Prime Minister.

Sabah's leading English newspaper, the Daily Express reported on 18th May 2011 and 5th June 2011, Shafie's statement on this issue.

The Daily Express report on 18th May 2011 read like this :

Shafie denies ulterior motive in visits

Umno Vice President Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal is disappointed that his series of visits to several constituencies in the State have been implied by certain quarters as an attempt at a power grab.

He said the issue should not have arisen because he was only carrying out his duty.

"As a Minister, I am only doing my job and the visits were to look at the problems of the people at the grassroots level," he said when officiating the Umno Semporna annual delegates conference at the Community Centre, here, Tuesday.

Also present were Kinabatangan MP Datuk Bung Mokhtar Radin who was the representative from the Sabah Umno liaison body, Minister in the Chief Minister's Department Datuk Nasir Tun Sakaran, Pantai Manis Assemblyman, Datuk Abdul Rahim Ismail and division committee members.

Shafie also reminded party members to strengthen unity and forget their differences in facing the 13th General Election.

He said Umno members must not think only about positions and, instead, to make the effort to ensure the BN government continues to get the mandate from the people.

And on the 5th June 2011, Shafie again issued this statement below after officiating the Papar UMNO delegates meeting :

Shafie denies the claims

Umno Vice President Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal has denied allegations that he is power crazy and planning to topple the present State leadership.

The Rural and Regional Development Minister said that on the issue of the so-called "cold war" among Umno leaders in Sabah, as far as he was concerned, he has no problem with other people.

"Unless they have problems with me," he said, when met after officiating the Umno Papar annual delegates' conference at Dewan Datuk Salleh Sulong, Saturday.

He was asked to comment on the statement by Umno Youth Chief, Khairy Jamaluddin that the change in the Sabah Umno Youth leadership happened because of a "cold war" between Umno leaders in Sabah and them (Youth wing) being caught in the middle.


UMNO Youth Chief, Khairy Jamaluddin


Former Sabah UMNO Youth Chief, Azman Ruslan

However, the following day, Sabah Umno Liaison deputy chairman Datuk Seri Salleh Said Keruak denied there was a "cold war" between certain leaders in State Umno.

"When I was Defence Deputy Minister, I used to come down to Semporna and when I was the Minister of (Domestic Trade and) Consumer 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 because I want to build homes for the needy that I want to take over power?" he asked.

Shafie said it was up to the top leadership to make appointments because positions are not anybody's right nor it can be demanded although if given there should be no reason not to accept it.

"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 in this respect, he had proposed that major projects under his Ministry be launched by Menteris Besar and Chief Ministers to share the success.

Shafie said more importantly the leaders must resolve whatever problems they had in order to face the impending 13th General Election with confidence.

Earlier in his speech, Shafie said his Ministry was given the biggest allocation to the tune of more than RM16 billion to be channeled for development to all the states within three years.

"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 a Vice President of Umno he had been invited to officiate at several Umno divisional meetings in Semenanjung (peninsula) and there was no reason for him not to accept the invitation from Umno Papar.

"I am a man of clear conscience, I won't talk differently behind other people's back É 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 one should not fear in fighting for the truth for the benefit of the rakyat as this was what Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak was doing through the reform exercises so that the people would support the government.

On the same day, Papar UMNO Division head Datuk Abdul Rahim Ismail issued a strong statement that read like this :



PAPAR Umno division chief Datuk Abdul Rahim Ismail said he will not back out from the struggle "to return Sabah Umno to its original political platform".

"Don't be surprised by the content of my speech today, everything is now out in the open," he told the delegates conference at Dewan Datuk Salleh Sulong that was officiated by Umno Vice President Datuk Seri Shafie, Saturday.

For this reason, he said, some could hate him and be angry at him, but not to his constituents in Pantai Manis, here.

"They also have the right to get all the facilities enjoyed by other people in the State, so don't punish my constituents," he said, adding his constituents expected him to do that, i.e. fight for them.

Rahim, who is also Pantai Manis Assemblyman, said all this while the State leadership had been feeling comfortable so much so taking for granted that the Barisan Nasional (BN) could win the general election easily because Sabah had been labelled as the ruling government's "fixed deposit".

However, he said fixed deposit when used as a political term should mean that the votes received by the BN is more than the previous one.

"But are we really confident of achieving this?" he asked. Rahim suggested that focus be given to the "Vote Bank" to ensure that BN is returned as government.

He cited Sarawak, which was also labelled as the fixed deposit of BN but could not stop the opposition taking away several seats in the recent election.

Political analysts stated that among the reasons was failure to listen to the people or Vote Bank who wanted change, he said, adding that based on the Election Commission (EC) statistics, 47 per cent of voters are young electorates.

"So we must listen to the younger generation," he said, adding there must not be any divide-and-rule.

Rahim also expressed disappointment that certain people were not taking pride in Sabahan Umno leader, Shafie Apdal, being an Umno Vice President.

He also said Shafie's noble intention of going on rounds in the State in his capacity as Rural and Regional Development Minister to look at how to channel assistance from Federal had received negative reactions and allegations.

"How will we face the 13th General Election if we continue to be suspicious?" he asked, adding that the people were now smarter because they could obtain knowledge as well as information easily from the Internet.

Rahim said it was also disappointing that certain development projects funded by Shafie's Ministry were being blocked.

He added that Sabah, which has the highest poverty rate in the country, really needs such assistance from Federal.

"Like the Chinese saying, genuine gold is not afraid of fire - and our genuine gold is Shafie," he said.


Rahim was wrong: Ministry

On 7th June 2011, the daily express reported that the State Rural Development Ministry categorically denied, Monday, the allegation by Papar Umno Division Chief Datuk Rahim Ismail that certain development projects funded by the Federal Rural and Regional Development Ministry are being blocked.


Datuk Ewon Ebin

On the contrary, its Minister, Datuk Dr Ewon Ebin, said the State is one of the highest achievers in terms of implementing projects under the NKRA, in particular rural roads, rural electrification programme, rural water supply and housing assistance programme for the hardcore poor.

Progress of such projects are briefed almost monthly at State and Federal level committees, namely at the Ministry of Rural Development chaired by him, at Rural and Regional Development Ministry chaired by Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal and at the Delivery Task Force meetings chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister.

He said the issue of blocking or non-implementation of such projects has never been brought up at these meetings and the State's implementing agencies have, in fact, been commended for achieving completion targets.

"Sabah's performance in completing the Housing Assistance Programme last year was almost 100 per cent where a total of 2,348 new housing units were built and 319 houses were repaired," he said.





This year, he said an allocation of RM103 million was approved for the construction of 2,439 new houses and to repair 77 houses.

He said all district officers in the State are currently implementing the projects and completion is expected to be according to schedule.

In fact, he said his Ministry has requested for more funds to build more houses for the hardcore poor but that the Ministry of Rural and Regional Development could only approve about RM103 million this year.

"Similarly, more funds have also been requested under the NKRA for rural roads, rural water supply and rural electrification programmes but perhaps due to financial constraints, not all requests were fulfilled," he said.

As for rural water supply, Ewon said the State Water Department is only authorised to tender and award projects for Class E and F contractors whereas those under Class D and above are decided by the Federal Ministry of Rural and Regional Development.

All rural electrification projects, he said, are decided by the same Ministry and implemented by Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd (SESB).

The Ministry of Rural Development has, in fact, successfully appealed to the Deputy Prime Minister for the installation of electrical wiring for poor households.

"About 16,000 poor households in the State will benefit from the scheme involving monthly instalment of only RM14.20," he said.

Hence, he said there is no truth whatsoever in the claims that the State is blocking of delaying any project approved by the Federal Ministry concerned.

"(In fact) the State Government welcomes more funds from the Federal Ministry concerned for the implementation of projects beneficial to the people of Sabah," he said.

Ewon said that there is also no truth in the claim by the Pantai Manis elected representative that his constituents are being punished.

He said Papar district is among the biggest recipients of poverty alleviation projects from the State Ministry of Rural Development including the implementation of Mini Estet Sejahtera (Mesej) project at Kampung Kinosoludon where 500 acres of rubber are being planted and housing project costing RM3.9 million is under construction.

"The State Ministry also approved allocation amounting to RM517,700 last year and RM346,500 this year for the implementation of minor rural development projects in the district," he said.

To these leaders i say.. keep it cool.