Warisan calls for White Paper, audit on Sabah GLCs

KOTA KINABALU: Warisan is urging the Sabah government to table a Cabinet-level White Paper to address the underperformance of several government-linked companies (GLCs) and state agencies in Sabah.
Warisan secretary-general Datuk Loretto Padua Jr the White Paper would allow concerned Sabahans to know what led to the underperformance and what the state government plans to do about it.
He added that transparency is needed, saying: "The best watchdogs in this state are the people of Sabah themselves, not those appointed by the Chief Minister from the ruling party or coalition."
"Prudent spending must be emphasised and all unnecessary overseas trips must be stopped immediately," he said in a statement on Monday (May 26) adding that if Warisan was given the mandate to govern, they would table a White Paper in the State Assembly within six months.
He said the White Paper would address matters such as the RM5bil in non-performing loans at Sabah Development Bank and its use of "creative accounting"; the cancellation of Sabah Forest Industries concession land and its reallocation to peninsula-based companies; the water and electricity supply crises including exorbitant charges by private tanker contractors; and the RM1.2bil bailout of Sabah International Petroleum via a RM900mil Sukuk Wakalah issuance by SMJ Energy Sdn Bhd.
It would also cover unresolved GLC-related issues previously raised by Warisan and other Opposition parties, which Loretto said were never addressed by GRS-Pakatan Harapan in the state assembly.
He also said Warisan would also push for detailed investigations by the National Audit Committee into all problematic state agencies and GLCs.
"I believe that a Cabinet White Paper and National Audit Committee investigations are the first steps towards improving the performance of GLCs and state agencies," he said.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

The Star

an hour ago

• The Star

Oil settles lower on new Iran-related sanctions

Brent crude futures settled down US$1.84, or 2.33%, to US$77.01 a barrel. US West Texas Intermediate crude for July was down 21 cents, or 0.28%, at US$74.93. HOUSTON: Oil prices settled down on Friday as the US imposed new Iran-related sanctions, marking a diplomatic approach that fed hopes of a negotiated agreement, a day after President Donald Trump said he might take two weeks to decide US involvement in the Israel-Iran conflict. Brent crude futures settled down US$1.84, or 2.33%, to US$77.01 a barrel. Billed as RM9.73 for the 1st month then RM13.90 thereafters. RM12.33/month RM8.63/month Billed as RM103.60 for the 1st year then RM148 thereafters. Free Trial For new subscribers only

Malaysian Reserve

2 hours ago

• Malaysian Reserve

WST Deadline: WST Investors Have Opportunity to West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. Securities Fraud Lawsuit

NEW YORK, June 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Why: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of common stock of West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. (NYSE: WST) between February 16, 2023 and February 12, 2025, both dates inclusive (the 'Class Period'), of the important July 7, 2025 lead plaintiff deadline. So what: If you purchased West Pharmaceutical common stock during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement. What to do next: To join the West Pharmaceutical class action, go to or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email case@ for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than July 7, 2025. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation. Why Rosen Law: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions, but are merely middlemen that refer clients or partner with law firms that actually litigate the cases. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company at the time. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers. Details of the case: According to the lawsuit, throughout the Class Period, defendants made false and misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) despite claiming strong visibility into customer demand and attributing headwinds to temporary COVID-related product destocking, West was in fact experiencing significant and ongoing destocking across its high-margin High-Value Products ('HVP') portfolio; (2) West's SmartDose device, which was purportedly positioned as a high-margin growth product, was highly dilutive to West's profit margins due to operational inefficiencies; (3) these margin pressures created the risk of costly restructuring activities, including West's exit from continuous glucose monitoring ('CGM') contracts with long-standing customers; and (4) as a result of the foregoing, defendants' positive statements about West's business, operations, and prospects were materially false and/or misleading or lacked a reasonable basis. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages. To join the West Pharmaceutical class action, go to Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email case@ for information on the class action. No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investor's ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff. Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: on Twitter: or on Facebook: Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Contact Information: Laurence Rosen, Esq. Phillip Kim, Esq. The Rosen Law Firm, P.A. 275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor New York, NY 10016 Tel: (212) 686-1060 Toll Free: (866) 767-3653 Fax: (212) 202-3827 case@

New Straits Times

14 hours ago

• New Straits Times

Nearly 900 schools join govt's Sekolah Angkat Madani programme to bridge education gap

KUALA LUMPUR: Nearly 900 schools nationwide have joined the government's Sekolah Angkat Madani initiative, also known as Samadani, aimed at narrowing the education gap and supporting underserved communities. The programme, introduced under the Madani Economy framework, is on track to meet its target of 1,000 participating schools by the year-end. Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar said the initiative reflects the government's determination to ensure that no child is left behind, particularly in rural and under-resourced areas. "This initiative builds on the success of Kampung Angkat Madani and Santuni Madani, which demonstrated that direct, collaborative efforts are effective in helping those most in need. "With Samadani, the effort is being taken a step further by involving schools in need as part of the broader Madani agenda", he said after the launch today, adding that they hoped to meet the 1,000 schools target by October. He said nearly 300 of the participating schools are in Sarawak, Sabah, Kelantan, Terengganu, Kedah and Perlis — states identified as requiring additional support. The programme focuses on five core areas: upgrading school infrastructure, strengthening academic and student support, enhancing teacher development, providing financial aid and scholarships, and fostering student character and soft skills. Shamsul said the programme's success was made possible through the support of more than 80 participating organisations, including: - 29 government ministries (including the Prime Minister's Department) - 29 government-linked companies (GLCs) and government-linked investment companies (GLICs) - 27 Minister of Finance Incorporated (MoF Inc.) companies — such as Amanah Raya, Bank Rakyat and BSN, and; - 32 private sector partners, including 99 Speed Mart, Maxis and Dialog. "This is not a one-off contribution but a strategic partnership designed to bring lasting impact to schools and communities," he said. Shamsul also highlighted existing corporate initiatives that complement the programme including Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) Foundation's tuition programme, which recorded 95 per cent student attendance and 92 per cent academic improvement; and the Petronas Foundation's Duta Guru programme, which aims to train over 4,500 Stem teachers, with more than 1,300 already involved. The other corporate initiatives also include Yayasan Sime Darby's support for SK Abaka in Tawau, Sabah, following a fire; and TM Foundation's Future Skills programme, which has certified more than 10,000 students and 1,000 teachers in fields such as robotics and data analytics. He said these corporations are not just involved in repairing infrastructure but also in talent building, such as by introducing subjects such as artificial intelligence (AI) and digitalisation. The first phase of Samadani runs until Dec 31. Shamsul said the response so far has been very encouraging, and the government hopes to see more companies come forward to support the national movement. "This is not just an investment in education — it is an investment in Malaysia's future leaders and innovators."