Lamag assemblyman Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin has alleged that only supporters of Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) are being given access to the state’s housing and cash aid schemes, calling the practice unjust and harmful to the people of Sabah.
“Many GRS leaders, if you want a house, you have to fill in a GRS form.”
“Same goes for the bantuan syukur. Without the form, without loyalty, there’s no benefit.”
“In my party, we don’t do that. If you want to fight with us, you’re welcome. We don’t ask you to fill up form,” said the Sabah Umno chief when he was questioned by an Umno appointed assemblyman, Datuk Suhaimi Nasir, whether the state housing was only given to GRS members.
Pressed by another assemblyman to identify specific areas, Bung replied: “In my area, it happens 100%. In Beluran, in Libaran – it happens a lot. Don’t tell me you don’t know.”
He also questioned the integrity of the state’s Skim Rumah Mesra SMJ housing initiative, claiming that homes were being handed to unqualified individuals while actual needy families were left out.
“When it comes to SMJ homes – those who are not qualified are getting it. The ones without homes don’t get anything. This is harmful.
“As the old saying goes: A good plan in the hands of poor execution becomes a bad idea,” he said.
Bung also poured scorn on the state’s recently announced group insurance scheme, purportedly covering 3.5 million Sabahans.
“3.5 million people? Why?” he asked. “Are we expecting the apocalypse? Are they all going to get into car accidents? Are they going to hang themselves?”
“Who benefits from this? Either they are ghosts, or this is Progressive Insurance again, or maybe there’s a middleman involved,” he added.
“Don’t do something that makes the people lose, the government lose. This needs to be examined carefully.”
Returning to a familiar theme, Bung criticised the government for failing to resolve what he called Sabah’s long-standing “three-in-one disease” – the lack of clean water, electricity, and proper roads.
“In Sabah we have the disease of water, the disease of electricity, the disease of roads.
“After more than half a century of independence, we still can’t solve this? Government after government, Chief Minister after Chief Minister – it’s still the same.”
“The people don’t want much. They want clean water in their homes. They want roads. Their children want to go to school, want to go to the hospital. Women in labour want to reach a clinic.
“The people want uninterrupted electricity supply – that alone would be a blessing,” he said. – April 14, 2025
