KOTA KINABALU: The belian (Borneo ironwood) theft incident at KK Wetlands Centre has exposed the Warisan-led state government’s incompetence in protecting a precious state asset and points to the adverse effects of Warisan’s mishandling of the economy, says Dr Regina Lim, Chief Women’s Wing of Parti Cinta Sabah.
In one of the two places in the world that boasts of having wetlands within a city after Osaka in Japan, almost 200 pieces of belian plans were ripped off by thieves from a boardwalk at the centre. PCS has taken Warisan to task over the incident claiming that the incident is one of the many that is a result of Warisan’s mismanagement of Sabah’s economy and security.
“If this state government can’t even protect such an important asset to Sabah and to the world, then it only goes to show that they are incompetent in managing the state. The people must reject this kind of government,”
“This incident has attracted bad publicity and is sure to deter foreigners from visiting Sabah. In this post pandemic recovery stages, tourism will be crucial to Sabah coffers and this incident is unwelcomed at this stage” said PCS in a strongly worded statement today.
The party also stressed that the previous state government were more interested in enriching their personal circles only by putting their elected representatives and people from their political circles to sit in GLCs or certain departments and pay them a nice, plump salaries yet failed to provide funds to hire security guards to keep watch of an important asset in terms of economy to Sabah and a heritage site known to the world.
“This is absolute neglect by an incompetent government,” Dr Regina Lim stressed.
Sabah Wetlands Conservation Society (SWCS) president Datuk Zainie Abdul Aucasa was reported to have said that Sabah Parks were never provided with allocations to provide security services at KKWRS despite having written to the Sabah Wildlife Department to request for security guards previously.
According to him, the proposal was not approved due to the state government’s lack of funds.
KKWRS was gazetted as a Bird Sanctuary in 1996 under SWD’s jurisdiction.
It was reported that squatters living adjacent to the centres were believed to be the culprit.
Soon after coming to power in 2018, then Chief Minister cum Parti Warisan President Shafie Apdal had reportedly said his government was committed in solving the squatter problem in Sabah however the reality seems to be contradictory.
He had said it was after all a promise made in his party’s election manifesto. However in this case it seems Warisan’s commitment towards their manifesto is yet another Manifesto is not a bible scenario, says Dr Regina Lim towards the matter.
However, public eyebrows were raised after a series of fire breakouts took place in squatter areas in Sabah under their administration.-pr/BNN
