Senior Activist Dr Kanul Spells Out Why He Thinks Datuk Shafie Is Potentially the Most Right Choice As Sabah CM

My curious friends and former friends inquired why lately i have been writing (they claimed) highly favourable comments on Datuk Shafie Apdal, the experienced bright Warisan President from Semporna😀, and in fact promoted the economist as the best potential yet as Sabah Chief Minister again. Here i am telling them now why i think Shafie is favoured, but of course there will be one or two more on the man from me or my colleagues later in the weeks to come, hopefully: Dr Kanul Gindol, 1-8-2025

Datuk Shafie Apdal (always in white) hosted the four of us Camos activists to a tea at his house in Bundusan, Penampang a few weeks back. I spoke little at the meeting, spending most of the time listening to his soft but fluid words, sometimes too soft barely audible, interjected by my more talkative colleagues Daniel John Jambun and Angie Chin. Anna Matin (right), like me, listened attentively..😉

WELL, we know in the little time of just over two years as Chief Minister (May 2018-September 2020), Datuk Shafie Apdal, has actually done quite a lot for Sabah and Sabahans ! 

His leadership record is marked by action and measurable gains and not just empty promises. He laid foundations that boosted Sabah’s finances, protected its assets and placed the ordinary Sabahans first.

Under Shafie, Sabah's GDP reached a historic high of RM85.6 billion in 2019. One of his boldest moves was introducing a 5% sales tax on petroleum products in 2020 that has since been bringing in over RM1 billion annually in revenue.

In an act of fiscal prudence, Shafie settled a RM1 billion bond that issued by the previous government before it reached maturity date. This prevented Sabah from having to pay more in interest and showed that he prioritised long-term financial stability over quick short-term gains.

He steered Sabah's economic sector especially in the oil palm sector towards down streaming instead of just exporting raw materials by transforming raw commodities into value-added products. Sabahan brands like Bess, Gold, and Onsoi were the results under his watch. Today under GRS, only Bess has survived. The rest have vanished along with the vision that created them.

To address long-standing issues in healthcare and education, Shafie established the Ministry of Education and Innovation and the Ministry of Health and People’s Well-being. These were practical steps to fix problems such as dilapidated schools and lack of doctors that others had long ignored.

Shafie’s deep understanding of Sabah’s diverse communities led to inclusive policies, he swiftly introduced within months in office. He was the first in Malaysia to officially recognise the Chinese UEC certificate for state civil service employment. He added an extra public holiday for Christmas. As a moderate Muslim leader, Shafie showed his magnanimous commitment to love for all Sabahans without compromising his own faith.

He returned dignity to the landless, many of whom were villagers who had waited years, some for decades, for their land applications. Thousands of native land titles were granted under his leadership. He also abolished the controversial Communal Land Title scheme, giving rightful owners their own land titles individually.

In 2019, Sabah’s unemployment stood at 114,300. Today it has climbed to 165,600 under GRS. The numbers speak for themselves. 

Shafie protected Sabahans in a crisis and acted promptly. In March 2020, the Warisan-led Sabah state government rolled out a RM670 million aid package called "We Care"  to help manage the COVID‑19 pandemic and ease the financial impact of the pandemic by supporting frontline workers, rural communities and local infrastructure projects. It included food aid, allowances for Village Community Management Councils (MPKK) and funding for rural development needs.

The second package was called the “Sabah New Deal”. Unveiled in mid‑June 2020, it was a RM240 million initiative designed to complement the original “We Care” package, bringing the total state‑level COVID‑19 relief under Warisan to RM910 million. Both were from state money without having to wait for federal funding which meant help could be disbursed immediately without further delay.

Under Shafie leadership, Warisan was actively involved in the MA63 Steering Committee pushing for actual power to be returned to the state. During this time, the federal government acknowledged 17 key matters for implementation under MA63, including gas distribution rights, judicial appointments, education, health, tourism, finance and the state’s role in federal development planning..

My friends, of course there are more to write on the man, but let us be fair to ourselves, we can't spend time reading too long a text😇. Save the best for the last. Till then, stay tuned.#~Borneo Herald™