Explain reports of new timber deal, Musa

Why has Yayasan Sabah, headed by Chief Minister Musa Aman, awarded 80,937 hectares of land to Pemaju Holdings Sdn Bhd?

Queville To, FMT

KOTA KINABALU: The State Reform Party (STAR) Sabah chapter wants Chief Minister Musa Aman to respond to the Business Times report on the purported timber deal involving 80,937 hectares (199,995 acres) to be awarded to Permaju Holdings Sdn Bhd by Yayasan Sabah.

Party chairman Jeffrey Kitingan contended that as the chairman of Yayasan Sabah, Musa should clarify the issue, instead of getting the Director of Forestry Department to deny it.

“The director of forestry is being used as a mouthpiece to deflect the issue and avoid the real facts. His mere denial is out of context as the deal was reported to be with Yayasan Sabah.

“It is the chief minister having direct control of Yayasan Sabah, not the of director of forestry, who is the appropriate person to answer on the timber deal.

“Many answers need to be given so that allegations of timber kickbacks like the RM40 million ‘donation’ to Sabah Umno will not arise,” he said.

A former chairman of Yayasan Sabah himself, Jeffrey also questioned why the foundation awarded a huge area of concession to such a company at this time and who stands to benefit.

“Why are outsiders given priority in awarding of concessions and land instead of Sabahans?

“If there is no truth to the alleged timber deal, why is the report so detailed? If the report is not true, the government should consider suing the parties involved and lodging reports with the police, MACC and other bodies.

“If the report is true, which will not be surprising, the state government is selling the future of Yayasan Sabah, the state and Sabahans and the Umno-BN state government should be voted out in the coming general election,” he said.

He said that the Business Times report clearly re-affirms Sabah STAR’s stand that the “future of Sabah lies in the hands of Sabahans, not outsiders or Sabahans under the control of outsiders”.