KOTA KINABALU: Kuamut assemblyman Datuk Masiung Banah, one of Gabungan Rakyat Sabah leaders who are implicated in an alleged corruption scandal, has been urged to take decisive action and report against the “whistleblower” to clear his name.
Sabah Umno election director Jeffery Nor Mohamed, said Banah should act if he believes the allegations are a deliberate attempt to sabotage the state government.
"This step is necessary to refute the allegations and clear their names. If you are convinced that these claims are part of a sabotage against the state government, report it to the authorities. It's time to stop blaming the opposition," he said in a statement on Tuesday (Jan 14).
Jeffery, who also serves as the Putatan Umno chief, said this in response to Banah’s recent statement that disseminating the “Corrupt YBs” video was part of an agenda to topple the state government.
Meanwhile, Jeffery also raised concerns about the unresolved issues residents of the Tanjung Aru low-cost flats are facing. He called for clarification from Banah, who is also the chairman of the Housing and Urban Development Board, on when these issues would be addressed so that residents could secure alternative housing.
"The problems that are evident remain unresolved, and as chairman, Masiung must take responsibility for addressing the concerns of the Tanjung Aru flats residents," he said.
In March 2023, Banah said that an independent consultant deemed the flats unsafe and suggested demolition.
Eviction notices were issued in May 2021, giving residents until the end of the year to relocate.
Banah said that although some tenants have been offered alternative housing, some refuse to cooperate.
A 2022 assessment revealed the flats were unsafe. Developers have long pursued the land, but the government has not yet determined its future development.
