The Misuse of Public Funds and the Failure of Accountability in Sabah’s Administration

 

Civil servants who misuse public funds must face consequences. When I raised legitimate concerns about unresolved safety issues in Vistana Heights with the chairman of the Sabah Lands and Surveys Department (JTU), I was met not with answers but with a directive to take legal action against the department. This response is both absurd and troubling. It implies that I, a taxpayer, should spend my own money to sue JTU, while JTU—funded by my taxes—would use those same public funds to defend itself. This is a clear misuse of taxpayer money, creating a perverse cycle where citizens are pitted against their own resources. Worse still, these civil servants, upon retirement, will draw pensions—again funded by taxpayers—despite such failures in accountability. There must be deterrents to prevent public officials from deflecting legitimate grievances into costly legal battles, which only burden citizens further while shielding systemic inefficiencies.

The Sabah Lands and Surveys Department (JTU) recently celebrated a 92% success rate in 2024, achieving 11 out of 12 Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) under the Sabah Maju Jaya (SMJ) Development Plan. Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor praised JTU’s staff for their “strong commitment” to delivering exceptional service. Yet, for residents of Vistana Heights, this glowing narrative feels like a hollow PR exercise. For years, I have sent multiple emails to the JTU chairman, including one documented publicly, with no meaningful response. Only on 15 July 2025 did I receive a reply, deflecting responsibility to the Kota Kinabalu City Hall (DBKK) for the as-built survey plans for Taman Puncak Vistana, Iramanis. Dissatisfied with this evasion, I pressed further with specific questions. On 18 August 2025, JTU’s response was to direct me to pursue legal action under Section 17 of the Surveyors Ordinance 1960. Why would a department head push a resident toward costly litigation when the Public Service Department (JPA) emphasizes discreet, efficient resolution of public complaints? This approach not only risks public and media scrutiny but also contradicts the Chief Minister’s claims of exemplary service and undermines trust in governance.

The Chief Minister’s praise for JTU’s “hard work, dedication, and excellent work culture” rings false when residents of Vistana Heights face ongoing safety hazards that the department has failed to address. The steep driveway to S9, inaccessible to emergency vehicles like ambulances, and the unbuilt retaining wall—promised but never constructed—pose immediate dangers. These issues, raised repeatedly through emails and formal complaints, have been met with silence or bureaucratic deflection. Far from demonstrating a “strong commitment” to public service, JTU’s inaction leaves residents vulnerable, making the area a ticking time bomb.

The 2025 State Budget claims that “the well-being of the people is our core,” anchored in the Dusun concept of “pomogunan do sogigisom” (sustainable development through unity). One of its key pillars is to enhance the efficiency of the state’s administration and delivery system. Yet, what efficiency is there when DBKK, a key player in infrastructure, has ignored over 100 emails sent to them and the mayor? The Chief Minister’s rhetoric about an efficient delivery system feels like a mockery to Vistana Heights residents, who have pleaded for basic safety fixes—like the hazardous driveway and missing retaining wall—for years, only to be stonewalled.

The 2025 budget names the Ministry of Local Government and Housing (KKTP), the Irrigation and Drainage Department (JPS), and DBKK as critical agencies for infrastructure programs, alongside the Ministry of Works Sabah. My grievances center on KKTP and DBKK, both of which have consistently ignored my attempts to address Vistana Heights’ unsafe conditions. This lack of response undermines any claim of effective governance and exposes a troubling gap between policy promises and reality.

The 2024 budget speech further proclaims that the State Government is committed to improving the socio-economic status and well-being of the people, in line with the SMJ Roadmap. These are empty platitudes for Vistana Heights residents, who live with dangerous infrastructure that threatens their safety daily. The Housing and Urban Development Board (LPPB), tasked with affordable housing, has similarly ignored every email I’ve sent, further eroding trust in the government’s lofty promises.

The 2024 budget emphasizes maintaining infrastructure—roads, bridges, and public buildings—for safety and sustainability. This is precisely where my complaint lies. The steep, dangerous driveway to S9 and the unconstructed retaining wall at Vistana Heights are not abstract policy failures but real, life-threatening risks. Emergency vehicles cannot access the area, and the unstable hillside, lacking the promised retaining wall, endangers lives and property. These issues, raised persistently for years, have been met with inaction from the very agencies tasked with protecting the public. The failure to address them contradicts the State’s narrative of commitment to safety and sustainability.

This pattern of deflection and inaction raises broader questions about accountability. When public officials misuse taxpayer funds to defend against legitimate grievances—or worse, push citizens to bear the financial burden of legal action—they betray the public trust. The absence of deterrents for such behavior allows civil servants to evade responsibility, secure in the knowledge that their pensions, also funded by taxpayers, await them upon retirement. To restore trust, the government must implement mechanisms to hold officials accountable, such as penalties for misusing public funds or ignoring legitimate complaints. Without these reforms, the rhetoric of “pomogunan do sogigisom” and “exceptional service” will remain hollow, leaving residents like those in Vistana Heights to bear the consequences of systemic failure.