THE auditor-general’s 2017 report does not show an accurate picture of the Sabah government’s financial situation, said Sabah Chief Minister Shafie Apdal today.

He said there were not enough grounds to support the opposition’s use of the report to say that the state was in good financial standing when they were in power, because it only detailed certain areas.

For example, he said, it did not take into account the RM2 million the state government had to come up with to settle the new state administrative building’s maintenance fee.

Shafie also pointed at the RM132 million lease the government has to settle every five years, and the RM700 million the previous Barisan Nasional government gave to the Benta Wawasan firm, only RM25 million of which is left.

“That’s a lot. It would be better if I built a new building. There are many more that I can talk about,” he said.

“I’m not disputing the auditor-general’s report, but look at the 1MDB report, for example. I recall that no one said anything was wrong with it before, but look at it now. From what I hear, it has been tampered with.

“How will we know the truth if all is not being taken into account in the report?” said Shafie in Kota Kinabalu today.

Sabah Umno chief Hajiji Mohd Noor had said the report disputes Warisan’s claim that the state’s finances were mismanaged by the previous administration and vindicates ousted chief minister Musa Aman.

On another development, Shafie said it was time for the state’s security forces to go on the offence, after playing defence for so long when it came to cross-border crimes.

“We want to continue to depend on the defensive approach, but we can’t neutralise them.

“I think the Eastern Sabah Security Command can work with the Philippines and Indonesian militaries to hold joint operations.

“We cannot allow a kidnapping every year. There must be an end to this.

“Our military knows who they are. The Philippines’ government also knows where they are. Why can’t we cut them at the source?” asked Shafie.

However, he said that going on the offence should not go to the extent of severing ties between Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines. – December 10, 2018.