Sabah state assistant finance minister Ramlee Marhaban called the allegations a “reckless assumption” as it was made without proof.
“Where is the logic of state money being distributed to other states? The state revenue has been allocated to the things that have been planned and discussed in the state budget.
“If there is money distributed to other states, it is only contributions made on a government-to-government basis as well as Sabah’s investment in other states,” Ramlee said at a press conference in Semporna following a community programme yesterday.
In his speech earlier, Ramlee said the state government was solely responsible for all development projects in the area as well as assistance provided to the people.
“All the development and aid in the district are the efforts of the government and not an individual effort,” Ramlee was quoted as saying by the Sarawak-based daily.
It is believed the “individual” he was alluding to for saying otherwise was Shafie, who is the Semporna MP.
He added that community leaders were only the middlemen to convey the government’s assistance for the people’s welfare.
“The development of the people and district are efforts made by the government and the people should understand that all this comes from the government.
“Therefore, I hope people will not be easily influenced by provocation and propaganda, and will continue to support Umno and Barisan Nasional,” he said, according to Borneo Post.
Shafie quit Umno in July this year and set up his own party, Party Warisan Sabah. He had earlier, together with former deputy prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin criticised 1Malaysia Development Berhad, for which he was later suspended by Umno.