KOTA KINABALU, June 7 ― Chief Minister Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal will be meeting with Institute for Development Studies of Sabah (IDS) chairman Tan Sri Simon Sipaun as soon as possible to discuss the recent tensions in the state-funded think tank.

Shafie said it was important that the matter be resolved soon as the think tank needed to be intact and fully functional to be able to play its role in supporting the government with research.

“I will discuss this with Tan Sri ― I won’t spell it out yet because it is not proper without listening to both sides what has transpired. But it would be good if they can both work together, that is what is in my mind,” Shafie told reporters when asked to clarify the status of its chief executive officer Datuk Johan Ariffin.

Local news outlets recently reported a power tussle between Sipaun and Johan; some claiming the latter’s appointment as CEO had been revoked in a vote by the IDS board while others cited certain board members saying they voted not to confirm his position just yet.

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There were also media reports quoting unnamed sources expressing unhappiness among certain individuals over Johan’s leadership, and some alleging “mismanagement” such as frivolous spending.

Johan was quoted by some news organisations as saying that Shafie wanted him to stay on and accused Sipaun of a “hostile takeover”.

Shafie also told reporters at his Hari Raya Aidilfitri open house here that he had met with Johan on Monday, but declined to reveal the details of their meeting, only that he told the latter he would meet with Sipaun first.

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“I didn’t have a chance to check with him yet, I will sit with him to discuss what happened. I didn’t know anything that had happened but what’s important is that the think tank has an important role in providing not only guidance policy but also how to improve the delivery system.

“IDS is the backbone of government outfits so they must be intact,” he said.