Musa says Shafie Apdal’s political rise due to Umno

SEMPORNA, April 9 — Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal’s rise to political prominence was due to Umno, according to Sabah Chief Minister Tan Sri Musa Aman.      

Musa said the former Umno vice-president had sustained in the top leadership lineup because of the undivided support accorded to him by Sabah Umno, which also made him the sole Umno member from Sabah to hold the vice-president’s post.    

Unfortunately, he said, Mohd Shafie, who is now Parti Warisan Sabah (Warisan) president, never appreciated nor thanked the Umno leadership and party members who had supported him, but instead betrayed the top leadership and disparaged the party.    

“Umno elevated him as a leader. The Prime Minister was instrumental in making him a senior minister. We know, all Umno members know what Datuk Seri Najib Razak had done for Shafie,” he said at the launch of the Semporna International Tourism Centre today at Dataran Regatta Lepa here.  

Najib who launched the centre also declared Pulau Bum-Bum as a sub-district, and handed customary land titles to 1,000 recipients.  

Meanwhile, Musa said Mohd Shafie as Rural and Regional Development Minister never met with him to discuss aspects of development needed in Sabah.  

“We are both Sabahans. What’s wrong with meeting up and having a discussion about Sabah’s development. I was hoping for that but nothing happened. My door was always open.

“Mohd Shafie was then Umno vice president and a federal minister. Positions aside, what should have been more important was that we have good communication and able to discuss,” he said.  

He said the former Semporna Umno division chief was not sacked or dismissed from the party, only taken action against for a disciplinary offence against the party.  

“But he left Umno,” said Musa. — Bernama