KOTA KINABALU: Sabah says no financial pledge has been made by the state government to co-host the 2027 South-East Asian (SEA) Games.
State Finance Minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun reiterated this stance following the weekly Cabinet meeting yesterday stressing that Sabah is not ready to co-host the international sporting event due to inadequate sports facilities.
“The Sabah Cabinet today confirmed during a meeting that no financial commitment has ever been made to host the 2027 SEA Games.
“The Sabah government is also not prepared to be a co-host as sports facilities in the state still need to be improved,” he said in a post on X.
This clarification follows an announcement last week by the Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh that Malaysia had accepted the offer to host the 2027 SEA Games, with Penang, Sabah and Sarawak agreeing to co-host the event alongside Kuala Lumpur.
Yeoh revealed that the ministry turned down offers from other states to co-host the games because they were unwilling to share the costs.
She said the total cost is estimated at RM700mil based on the expenses of the 2017 SEA Games, adding that Sarawak had agreed to contribute RM300mil, while Sabah had allegedly pledged RM100mil and Penang RM15mil.
Meanwhile, an MP from Sabah raised concern over the apparent lack of coordination and communication between the federal and state governments, particularly regarding substantial funding decisions.
Referring to confusion over the RM100mil funding to co-host the 2017 SEA Games, Libaran MP Datuk Suhaimi Nasir said it indicated the weakness in the communication system and reflected instability in the administration of the Sabah government.
“This situation not only embarrasses the state government administration but also raises serious concerns about how important decisions involving public funds can be made without proper coordination and communication,” he said in a statement yesterday.
Calling for transparency, accountability and an explanation from the state government over the matter, he stressed the funds could be used to improve infrastructure and the living standards of the people of Sabah instead.
“It is essential to ensure transparency and accountability in every decision involving the expenditure of state finances,” he added.
