SABAH Chief Minister Shafie Apdal today hit out at critics who complain about “outsiders” being appointed to senior public positions now, but had kept quiet when the same was done by the Barisan Nasional administration. 

He said the recruitment of individuals from the private and business sectors to fill public positions was done in the interest of the people of Sabah and was not politically motivated. 

“There is no need to make noise now. We believe in appointing the right people for the job and that is based on their experience and abilities. 

“When Musa Aman was the chief minister there were many outsiders given the same opportunities. 

“So the matter should not be an issue now,” he told reporters after launching a career and job fair in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, today. 

The Shafie administration has been accused of practising cronyism in its recent appointments of public officers, among which was the hiring of an engineer, Amarjit Singh, from a private company to head the Sabah Water Department. 

The latest controversy is over the appointment of Sarawakian timber businessman Hu Chang Lik as the president of Sandakan Municipal Council.

“No one made noise when Hu was made a councillor for the local government. I think it should not be an issue now,” Shafie said.

Parti Bersatu Sabah and Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku have questioned the appointment of the Sarawakian-born Hu, who now holds a Sabah permanent resident status. 

They allege Warisan is practising cronyism, and that the ruling Sabah-based party had gone against its slogan “Sabahan for Sabah” with which it had scored a big win in the May 9 polls. 

Sources told The Malaysian Insight the Sarawakian businessman had donated funds to the Warisan campaign, especially for Law Minister VK Liew, who is the permanent party chairman. 

“In the old days, Hu was known as a gangster or thug who had once pointed a gun at a man he had a conflict with,” the sources said. –  September 2, 2018.