KOTA KINABALU : Datuk Amarjit Singh’s latest statement defending the Warisan-led state government’s handling of key water infrastructure projects in Sabah is an exercise in selective memory, bureaucratic deflection, and political whitewashing.
Let us start with the most glaring issue. His very appointment as director of the Sabah Water Department. Was it even legal?
Amarjit’s appointment in 2019 was mired in controversy as it was not made through the established Sabah civil service protocols, raising red flags about the process.
The position of director is traditionally filled from within the state civil service — based on experience, seniority, and qualification — not political patronage.
Yet, Amarjit, a political appointee closely linked to key Warisan figures, was parachuted into the role, raising serious concerns about conflict of interest and political interference.
In fact, his appointment was challenged in court and ultimately nullified by the Kota Kinabalu High Court in 2020, which ruled that his appointment violated Sabah’s civil service regulations.
That alone undermines any moral authority he now claims in defending Warisan’s track record.
Regarding the Telibong II contract cancellation, it should be noted that I did not say the Telibong II and Sandakan projects were cancelled.
I merely stated the existing contracts and concessions at that time were cancelled. Amarjit himself admitted the Telibong II contract was cancelled solely based on a Ministry of Finance directive.
But here’s the part he conveniently omits:
> Numerous federal projects nationwide were spared despite similar or lower progress levels, yet Telibong II — a critical Sabah infrastructure project — was chosen for termination. Why?
> The project’s initial contractor was replaced, raising suspicions of deliberate political engineering. Was the goal to remove contractors perceived as aligned with previous administration, and award contracts to politically-favoured entities instead?
If this was purely a technical decision, why was Amarjit — a politically-linked appointee — involved at all in recommending or supporting the termination?
His statement mentions federal directives, but makes no mention if the matter was brought to the State Cabinet for discussion.
It would certainly be odd if the decision was not discussed at the state level even though the state played a direct role in implementation.
Amarjit had also claimed no new water treatment plant was planned or cancelled in Sandakan.
While that may be true credible reports from engineers and stakeholders at the time indicated that existing concession contracts were quietly cancelled after Warisan took over.
Whether by design or neglect, Sabahans in Sandakan continue to suffer from erratic water supply, and no amount of borehole reactivation can disguise the state government’s failure to upgrade long-term capacity.
There seems to be a broader pattern of politicising water infrastructure under the Warisan shortlived administration.
During Amarjit’s short and controversial tenure:
> Contractors were sidelined or replaced under opaque justifications.
> Project timelines were repeatedly delayed despite initial momentum.
> Hundreds of millions in compensation were reportedly paid out for cancelled contracts — a direct loss to taxpayers.
All this under the watch of a department head who wasn’t even lawfully appointed.
As such, Amarjit’s statement does not hold up under scrutiny. His appointment was legally flawed, his justifications cherry-picked, and his omission of political influence convenient.
The Warisan administration’s handling of key water infrastructure projects was riddled with irregularities, questionable motives, and decisions that ultimately compromised the interests of ordinary Sabahans.
(Commentary by Datuk Seri Panglima Clarence Bongkos Malakun – Sabah Economic Advisory Council member and former Moyog Assemblyman)-pr/BNN
