Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal flanked by wife Datin Seri Shuryani Shuaib, and Sutera Harbour Resort chief executive officer Gerard Tan waving the Jalur Gemilang and Sabah flags at the Sutera Harbour Resort National Day celebration.
KOTA KINABALU: Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal believes that Sabah ministers in the federal government have performed well for the good of the country, including the interests of Sabah.
However, he said it was normal that they would highlight issues that were relevant and of concern to Sabah and their constituencies during cabinet meetings.
“I believe they have raised issues for the good of the country as a whole. Of course, for the interests of Sabah as well.
“We have a different platform where we raise issues concerning the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), at which we frequently meet Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad,” he told the media after launching a National Day celebration held by Sutera Harbour Resort here yesterday.
Shafie was commenting on a report in a local English daily that federal ministers from Sabah had not raised state issues in the Cabinet, quoting remarks allegedly made by Mahathir.
The local daily had quoted the prime minister as saying: “As far as I’m concerned, they (Sabahan representatives in the federal Cabinet) did not say anything (about various current issues).”
De facto law minister Liew Vui Keong had demanded a retraction by the newspaper, accusing it of publishing a distorted account of Mahathir’s remarks.
Liew said that on reviewing the video recording of the press conference, he found that Mahathir had clearly said: “Well, the Sabah government did not say anything to us, only you (newspaper editor) said it.”
“Nowhere in the prime minister’s response did he mention that my Sabahan colleagues and I had never raised our concerns in the Cabinet on major issues,” he said.
The issues raised by the daily included the airport departure levy, the appointment of the new vice-chancellor of Universiti Malaysia Sabah and the introduction of Jawi script in the Bahasa Melayu syllabus for Year 4 pupils in vernacular primary schools next year.
Meanwhile, Shafie declined to comment further on the progress of MA63 as the meeting is ongoing, but hoped the outcome would be announced during the coming National Day celebration.