Meeting with BIGoNS (Sabah Integrity Department) on 12.8.2025

On 6 August 2025, I received a call from BIGoNS inviting me to attend a meeting on 12 August 2025.The meeting proceeded as scheduled. During the session, the chairman assured me that the minutes would be provided by the following Friday. Drawing from prior experiences with other government officials, where such documents have often been delayed, I proactively sent an email to BIGoNS on 13 August 2025, outlining the key discussions to ensure an accurate record.

The following matters were discussed:

Attendees were: Puan Siti Fairuz, Puan Jennifer, Puan Andrea, Enc. Fauzi, my wife Mariam and me.

The meeting was chaired by Puan Andrea.

 

What a coincidence that Puan Andrea is the daughter of Datuk Abidin Madingkir who was the mayor who authorized the development plan (DP) attached to my son Faisal’s Sales and Purchase Agreement.

The chairman said that the director of DBKK had given his answers in the minutes and therefore the case is settled.

I then asked whether any of them had read the email I had sent that morning. They said they had not as they had another meeting to attend.

This answer was not acceptable to me as they were emails, I sent to Puan Siti Fairuz on 25.6.2025, 21.7.2025, 28.7.2025, and 31.7.2025. I had translated them into Malay using AI. 

I started by explaining that I had nothing against the director Sr. Lifred or the Mayor. I had met the director on 5.5.2025 for the first time and I have yet to meet the mayor. I said that I have tried to settle this matter amicably since 2022 and the solution is simple. The market price of a unit at Vistana Heights currently is 2.3 million. We have offers for 2.1 million as the intended buyers say that the house next to mine was sold for 2.08 million. They are unwilling to pay more than 2.1 million, despite the fact that the view from my unit is better than the next house, as the driveway is too steep compared to the next house S10. So, I request the developer, the architect, the engineer and DBKK to settle the difference of RM200,000 and pay me for rental loss and expenses incurred.

Bringing this matter to court will not be good for the image of the mayor or the government. This matter is now attracting a lot of readers on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. Several of my tweets are re-twitted by people who are not even in my friend’s list.

Meanwhile, Puan Jennifer started reading the email that had been printed by Puan Siti Fairuz. She then started asking questions to understand the email better.

I explained that the main point of contention is the minutes for the meeting on 5.5.2025 with DBKK first handed to me at the meeting on 11.6.2025.

 Item 2.1 i) states the platform height (paras tanah) to be 101 feet.

Item 2.1 iii) states the platform height (paras tanah) to be 106.26 feet.

This is what should be highlighted. The difference in platform height is 5.26 feet.

The platform height was already determined when the sales and purchase agreement was signed. (See 2.1 ii).

The DP attached to the Sales and Purchase Agreement states a height of 101 feet whereas what is finally on-site and in the final DP after construction is 106.26 feet giving a difference of 5.26 feet. This is the cause of the steepness.

I explained the diagram in the email of the unit S9 from the as-built survey. This was the diagram first used by Sr. Lifred on the whiteboard on 5.5.2025.

I mentioned that Datuk Roger Chin has in a recent Daily Express article said: Once a development plan is approved, it must be honoured.

Puan Jennifer then asked me to explain point 2.2 ii in the minutes for meeting held on 11.6.2025.

This is what was recorded: Encik Luqman Michel memaklumkan beliau mempunyai Pelan Ukur yang diserahkan kepadanya oleh pihak Lembaga Arkitek Malaysia dan memberitahu mesyuarat Pelan Ukur tersebut tidak sama dengan Pelan Ukur yang desediakan oleh Jurukur TerraFirma.

English translation: Mr. Luqman Michel informed that he has a Survey Plan provided to him by the Malaysian Architects Board and stated that the Survey Plan differs from the Survey Plan prepared by TerraFirma Surveyor.

I explained that this is incorrect. I had shown the as-built survey I had with me and stated that it was the same as that given to me by DBKK in 2022. The survey plan does not have the figure 31.05m on the road in front of the driveway. I said that I don’t agree with that figure shown on the whiteboard by sr. Lifred Wong. Puan Siti Fairuz who was at the DBKK meeting agreed with what I now said.

I then explained about the retaining wall and how it was misrepresented in the minutes. The original minutes given to the attendees on 11.6.2025 for the meeting held on 5.5.2025 stated the following:

3.2 Rekod kelulusan Pelan Tembok Penahan untuk pembangunan ini hendaklah dipereksa bagi mengenalpasti jika ada cadangan penyediaan tembok penahan di bahagian belakang Lot S9 untuk maklum dan rujukan dalam mesyuarat akan datang.

Translation: The approval record of the Retaining Wall Plan for this development shall be reviewed to identify if there is a proposal for the construction of a retaining wall at the back of Lot S9 for information and reference in the upcoming meeting.

The above was altered in the subsequent minutes given to me on 21.7.2025 at my house.

3.2 Rekod kelulusan Pelan Tembok Penahan untuk pembangunan ini hendaklah diperiksa bagi mengenalpasti jika ada keperluan penyediaan tembok penahan di bahagian belakang Lot S9 untuk rujukan dan pengesahan dalam mesyuarat akan datang.

Translation: The approval record of the Retaining Wall Plan for this development shall be examined to determine if there is a need for the construction of a retaining wall at the back of Lot S9 for reference and confirmation in the upcoming meeting.

‘Proposal for the construction of a retaining wall’ was changed to ‘a need for the construction of a retaining wall’.

The development plan signed by Mr. Stanley Chong and the mayor Datuk Yeo Boon Hai mandated a retaining wall from S1 to S18 and not only behind S9.

Here is item 2.13 of the minutes for the meeting held on 11.6.2025:

Puan Siti Fairus dari Bahagian Integriti dan Governans Negeri Sabah (BIGoNS) memaklumkan bahawa dengan Perbincangan dan penjelasan yang diberikan dalam mesyuarat ini maka aduan yang dikemukakan kepada pihak BIGoNS adalah ditutup.

Translation: Puan Siti Fairus from the Sabah State Integrity and Governance Division (BIGoNS) informed that, following the discussions and clarifications provided in this meeting, the complaint submitted to BIGoNS is closed.

Puan Siti Fairuz confirmed that my complaint is under investigation and has not been closed.

Only then did they all understand that the minutes given are not what was discussed at the meeting. They then said they will write to DBKK by the end of the week and give their findings.

Puan Andrea asked why I said that the last date for filing my legal case is 2.10.2025. I explained that a case must be generally filed within 6 years of the incidence. 6 years from the Occupancy Certificate will be 2.10.2025.