
'Integrity essential to maintain trust in civil service'
Published on: Wed, Jul 02, 2025
By: Sisca Humphrey Text Size: Rosli (centre) and others at the event. KOTA KINABALU: Integrity must remain central to the civil service to sustain public confidence in government institutions, said Sabah Federal Secretary Datuk Seri Rosli Isa. He said the Federal Government spends over RM17 billion annually on civil servant salaries in Sabah, underscoring the size and significance of the public sector. Rosli noted Sabah has more than 126,000 civil servants across federal and state levels, and stressed that maintaining integrity at all levels is crucial for an efficient and trusted system. He said integrity includes moral strength and ethical conduct beyond just avoiding corruption, and that civil servants should not be shielded from investigation if wrongdoing occurs. The seminar, jointly organised by Sedia and Intan Sabah, drew over 800 participants and featured sessions on governance, including one by a former offender sharing the consequences of corruption. * 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.
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Warisan demands answers over Ambalat deal
Published on: Thursday, July 03, 2025 Published on: Thu, Jul 03, 2025 By: Abbey Junior Text Size: 'These reports claim there is now a joint understanding between Malaysia and Indonesia to explore natural resources in the Ambalat area – but Sabah has not been consulted. This is a violation of our constitutional rights,' Azis said. Kota Kinabalu: Warisan has urged the Federal Government to clarify reports of a joint oil and gas exploration agreement with Indonesia in the disputed Ambalat block, warning that Sabah's maritime rights cannot be bypassed without state approval. Warisan information chief Datuk Mohd Azis Jamman, in a statement today, said any bilateral deal involving Sabah's maritime boundaries must first be presented to the state government and approved by the Sabah State Legislative Assembly, as required under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63). 'The Federal Constitution, read together with MA63, makes it clear that no boundary involving Sabah can be altered unilaterally by Putrajaya,' he said in a statement on Tuesday. Mohd Azis was responding to local and foreign media reports – including those by Indonesia Business Post, Jakarta Globe and Antara News – which claimed that Malaysia and Indonesia had reached an agreement to jointly explore natural resources in the Ambalat area. 'These reports claim there is now a joint understanding between Malaysia and Indonesia to explore natural resources in the Ambalat area – but Sabah has not been consulted. This is a violation of our constitutional rights,' he said. He stressed that parts of the Ambalat block fall within Sabah's maritime zone as defined in pre-1963 maps, and therefore cannot be treated solely as federal territory for negotiation. He questioned whether the Malaysian Foreign Affairs and Defence Ministries, which were quoted as confirming the cooperation, had sought consent from Sabah before proceeding. 'Does this mean the Sabah government was consulted? Was this matter brought to the State Assembly? If not, then it is not just a breach of MA63, it is a betrayal of Sabahans' rights,' he said. Mohd Azis added that while Warisan supports peaceful diplomacy and bilateral cooperation, it must always be grounded in constitutional legality and respect for MA63. 'If the reports are inaccurate, the Foreign Ministry must immediately correct the record and seek clarification from the Indonesian media, as misinformation of this kind could jeopardise diplomatic ties,' he added. He warned that any agreement involving Sabah's waters without state approval could constitute a 'contact breach' of MA63 and carry serious constitutional implications. 'This issue must be handled with full transparency, professionalism and a firm commitment to uphold Sabah's sovereignty and the nation's integrity,' he said. Earlier, Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Jeffrey Kitingan also expressed disappointment over Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's recent statement in Indonesia, agreeing to jointly develop the disputed Ambalat maritime region near Sabah's maritime borders. The Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku President, said it would be an insult if the announcement was made without prior consultation with the state government. 'I am disappointed to know this is happening, too. Ambalat has always been considered part of Sabah's territorial waters. 'If this decision was truly made without consulting Sabah, then it is not good. It's another way of bypassing Sabah's rights. And we need an explanation,' he said. Jeffrey said he would raise the matter in Parliament. Malaysia and Indonesia have overlapping territorial claims on the 15,000 sq km Ambalat sea block, which is believed to hold significant crude oil reserves. In 2023, deputy foreign affairs minister Mohamad Alamin said discussions about the Sulawesi Sea Treaty signed by Malaysia and Indonesia in June 2023 would not be held publicly to safeguard the sensitivity of the matter. Sabah has been fighting hard to regain the continental shelf and territorial maritime area, one of the issues to be discussed as part of the state's rights in the Malaysian Agreement 1963. Jeffrey said under the Land Ordinance (Sabah Cap.68), submerged land, including the seabed up to the continental shelf, falls under Sabah's jurisdiction. Land is a state matter under the State List in the 9th Schedule of the Federal Constitution, which includes land tenure, permits, and licences for mining activities. 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an hour ago
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Be neutral when carrying out duties, government staff told
Published on: Thursday, July 03, 2025 Published on: Thu, Jul 03, 2025 Text Size: Hajiji urged all department heads to demonstrate strong commitment in carrying out their responsibilities. Kota Kinabalu: Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor hoped civil servants will continue to uphold the principles of professionalism, neutrality and integrity in carrying out their duties during this election year. 'We are facing the State Elections this year. As the backbone of the State Government administration, civil servants must ensure that all administrative affairs and service delivery to the people are not disrupted and continue to run smoothly as usual. 'The efficiency and transparency of civil servants in facing this challenging period will reflect our commitment to continue supporting the democratic system and stability of the state administration,' he said after the post-Cabinet meeting at Menara Kinabalu, Wednesday. Hajiji urged all department heads to demonstrate strong commitment in carrying out their responsibilities. They must carry out their duties with greater efficiency and accuracy, as well as monitor projects more effectively, to ensure all approved projects are completed within schedule. 'This is crucial to avoid having to deal with delays in execution, wastage of resources and jeopardising reputation and public trust in the capabilities of the Government's administrative machinery,' he said. He reminded them to be always responsive, proactive and to practise good governance in carrying out their duties in order to provide the best services to the people. 'Civil servants must carry out their responsibilities with trust, transparency and a strong sense of accountability. They must avoid conflicts of interest so that the State Government's goals and objectives can be successfully achieved. 'The interest of the Government is always more important than personal interest,' he said. Hajiji also reminded civil servants to always uphold personal integrity and make it a core value in their character. 'Without high personal integrity the consequences to the image of the public and the entire State Government institution would be severe,' he said. Meanwhile, Hajiji said four bills would be tabled during the two-day State Assembly sitting, beginning Monday. The Chief Minister's Department will table two bills: the Forestry Bill (Amendment 2025) and the Climate and Carbon Governance 2025 Bill. The other two would be tabled by the Finance Ministry - the State Sales Tax Bill (Amendment 2025) and the Supplementary Supply Bill 2025. * 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


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an hour ago
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Sabah launches Disaster Command Centre
Published on: Thursday, July 03, 2025 Published on: Thu, Jul 03, 2025 Text Size: Hajiji doing the launching gimmick. Kota Kinabalu: Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor on Wednesday launched the State Disaster Command Centre (SDCC), the first such centre in Malaysia funded by the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma). 'Developed jointly by the State Disaster Management Community and the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma), the SDCC would ensure swifter and more coordinated actions in the event of a disaster,' said Hajiji at the opening ceremony of the SDCC at Menara Kinabalu. Located on the 4th Floor, Block A Menara Kinabalu, the SDCC will serve as an integrated platform to coordinate the actions of security and rescue agencies, NGOs and research bodies during disasters. The SDCC is equipped with the latest information and communication technology, including a video conferencing system and a comprehensive database for gathering and analysing disaster information. The RM750,000 centre took eight months to be completed. Present were State Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Ariffin Arif, Nadma Deputy Director General Datuk Dr Abdul Gapar Abu Bakar, State Secretary Datuk Seri Sr Safar Untong, Sabah Commissioner of Police Datuk Jauteh Dikun, State Internal Affairs and Research Secretary Datuk Ag Shahminan Ag Sahari as the State Disaster Management Committee secretariat and Malaysia Civil Defence Sabah Director Mohd Yusoff Samad. * 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