KOTA KINABALU: Just a day into his appointment as Sabah Works Minister, Datuk Shahelmey Yahya has already had to contend with accusations that the "central collection system" for alleged payoffs involving the state Water Department was still active.
Shahelmey said he was not aware of the system and added that he would need to order an audit and get more information to follow up.
“This is my first day (as minister). I will work with the permanent secretary and senior officers to check on these accusations,” he said on Thursday (Jan 12) when asked to confirm whether or not the collection system was still ongoing.
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The Water Department is among the departments under the state Works Ministry.
Allegations about the collection system came to light in the ongoing "Sabah watergate" corruption trial involving senior department officials, including its director and deputy director.
It was said in court on Wednesday (Jan 11) that former department director Ag Mohd Tahid Mohd Talin was behind this system, where contributions were collected from successful contractors.
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It was heard that this system has existed since 1989.
This is the state’s biggest graft probe involving the alleged siphoning of RM3.3bil funds meant for water projects in Sabah since 2010 through a network of companies linked to families of the accused.
The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) recorded the statements of 200 witnesses in the probe, in which it seized or froze some RM114.5mil in cash, bank accounts, unit trusts and other assets within and outside the country.
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Shahelmey said if the system was still in place, he would make sure that it was stopped and the appropriate action taken.
He also said he was looking for feasible solutions to the state's frequent water supply disruptions, and would work with his team to improve the ministry's delivery system.
