SINCE MUSA TOOK OVER SEVEN YEARS AGO, THE STATE’S CASH RESERVES WERE ONLY RM168 MILLION. TODAY IT HAS GROWN TO RM3 BILLION. - MASIDI

Musa unafraid to say ‘no’ – Masidi

RANAU: Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun yesterday paid tribute to Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman as a leader who makes decisions which are right and not which make him popular.Masidi said it is important to differentiate between being popular and right.

“It brings different meanings. The popular may not be always right, but the right one is always correct and true. We want the right leader who is able to make the right decision, not a leader who hungers for popularity,” he said.

“We want a leader who can deliver, who will sometimes tell us ‘cannot’ rather than having one who is always trying to make us feel good despite knowing that it is wrong.

“Musa is very stern and is unafraid to use the word ‘no’. And while we feel bad when we get the ‘no’, it may be the best answer and solution to our problem,” he said during the launch of Ranau Umno delegates meeting by Musa yesterday.

Masidi described Musa as a people-friendly leader with a great mind.

“There are not many people like him. We do not want leaders who will promise you the moon and the stars. We want someone who will lead us towards greatness … and this is what we can see in the Chief Minister.”

Sabah’s financial standing is at its best since gaining independence due to the leadership of Musa, he said.

He said when Musa took over seven years ago, the state’s cash reserves were only RM168 million. Today it has grown to RM3 billion.

“This fact has failed to reach the people because it is being censored by the opposition. They are saying that the government is not stringent in its spending, but we proved them wrong,” he said.

Masidi said Musa’s good governance and leadership has allowed the state to achieve vast development.

“I know this because when he (Musa) was made the Chief Minister in 2003, I was then the Institute of Development Studies Chairman, before joining the Cabinet.

“It is not a secret. I believe everyone knows, including ex-Sabah Foundation staff who are here today are aware that the foundation was about to submerge due to poor management in the past,” he said.

“In fact, just a couple of years before Musa took over the helm, Sabah Foundation had to terminate or advised two-thirds of its staff to opt for early retirement because it could not pay their salaries. Their income was not able to cover the expenses,” he said.

But since Musa took over, the Sabah Foundation has been transformed into one of the most successful institutions and today, its cash reserves stand at RM1.7 billion, Masidi said.

“Its subsidiary companies are enjoying annual returns of millions of ringgit.”

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Musa a wise, skilful leader: Masidi