Shafie denies RM178 million loan write-off claims
Published on: Thursday, June 19, 2025
Published on: Thu, Jun 19, 2025
By: FMT Reporters Text Size: Warisan president Shafie Apdal said that as chief minister at the time, he was not involved in the bank's day-to-day decisions or specific loan arrangements. (Facebook pic) PETALING JAYA: Warisan president Shafie Apdal has denied allegations linking him to the write-off of RM178 million in non-performing loans (NPLs) during his tenure as Sabah chief minister and chairman of the Sabah Development Bank (SDB). Responding to the claims circulating online, Shafie said no NPL was written off under his watch and that all financial decisions at the bank were subject to internal processes and credit evaluation protocols.
Advertisement 'I categorically deny the malicious and baseless allegations that have been circulated by an online portal,' he said in a statement today. 'These accusations are outright lies that have been manufactured with the intent to deceive the public and destroy my credibility.' Shafie said that as chief minister, he was not involved in the bank's day-to-day decisions or specific loan arrangements, adding that public institutions must be governed by professional processes and not political interference. 'I respected those boundaries and I expected the bank's management to uphold their fiduciary duty to the people of Sabah,' he said. Shafie, who served as chief minister from 2018 to 2020, said that rather than write off loans, his administration focused on recovering problematic debts and restoring financial integrity. 'Writing off NPLs recklessly would have been irresponsible and a betrayal of public trust,' he added. The Senaling assemblyman also questioned the timing of the allegations, saying it coincided with declining public confidence in the current administration ahead of the state election. 'This is a deliberate political smear that has been precisely timed because the current government is struggling. They are afraid of accountability and fear the coming election,' he said. Shafie also warned that he would not hesitate to take legal action against those who continue to publish and spread what he described as lies. 'I have nothing to hide and welcome any impartial investigation. However, I will not remain silent while lies are repeated and recycled for political convenience,' he said. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available.
Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Express
30 minutes ago
- Daily Express
Federal-state ties must not be dictated by party politics: Armizan
Published on: Sunday, June 22, 2025 Published on: Sun, Jun 22, 2025 By: Jonathan Nicholas Text Size: KOTA KINABALU: GRS Deputy Secretary-General Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali ( pic ) stressed that federal-state relations must be inter-governmental and not dictated by party politics to safeguard state interests. 'Decisions affecting Sabah must be made between governments, not in party rooms where national interests dominate,' he said. He explained that delays in implementing MA63 are the result of intra-party dynamics. He reaffirmed GRS's 'Sabah First' stance, urging national parties to lead at the federal level while local parties anchor the state. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
Daily Express
an hour ago
- Daily Express
Body of missing autistic boy discovered in pond near his home
Published on: Sunday, June 22, 2025 Published on: Sun, Jun 22, 2025 By: Winnie Kasmir Text Size: The site where the boy was last seen. - Pic by JBPM KINABATANGAN: A six-year-old autistic boy who went missing in Batu Putih, Menggaris, was found dead on Saturday night. He was last seen around 2pm playing near a riverbank close to his home. A search and rescue operation was launched after his family made an emergency call at 5.14pm. Kinabatangan Fire and Rescue Chief Hairi Utoh said rescuers were immediately sent to the location. The boy, Mohammad Aqeef Al Tarmiezy Arman, was found in a pond 100 metres from his house at 8.45pm and his body was handed over to police. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
Barnama
an hour ago
- Barnama
Iran Not Stopping Nuclear Industry Development After Attack On Nuclear Facilities
People attend an anti-Israeli protest after Friday prayers, amid the Iran-Israel conflict, in Tehran, Iran, June 20, 2025. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS TEHRAN, June 22 (Bernama-Sputnik/RIA Novosti) -- Iran does not intend to stop developing the nuclear industry after the strikes on a number of nuclear facilities in the Islamic Republic, and expects the international community to condemn these strikes, the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran (AEOI) said in a statement, reported Sputnik/RIA Novosti. "We expect the international community to condemn the lawlessness based on the rules of the jungle and support Iran in achieving its legitimate rights. 'The AEOI assures the great Iranian nation that despite the evil plots of its enemies, with the efforts of thousands of its scientists, it will not allow the development of the national nuclear industry to be stopped," the AEOI said on Telegram. bootstrap slideshow Nuclear facilities in Natanz, Fordow and Isfahan were attacked by "enemies," the AEOI confirmed. "Early this morning, nuclear facilities in Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan were attacked by enemies of the Islamic Republic of Iran, a barbaric act that contradicts all international norms, especially the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons," the agency said. It noted that US President Donald Trump had taken responsibility for the attack. However, it did not directly accuse Washington of it. Meanwhile, in Doha, the Saudi Nuclear and Radiological Regulatory Commission said there were no changes in radiation levels in the Arab states of the Persian Gulf, including Saudi Arabia, that were recorded after the US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. "No radioactive consequences for the environment of the kingdom and the Gulf states were detected as a result of the US military strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities," the commission said on X. Iran has not detected traces of contamination after US strikes on nuclear facilities, the country's nuclear security centre also said.
