Clarence Bongkos Malakun
KOTA KINABALU: A senior political figure has lashed out at recent commentary by Daniel John Jambun, accusing him of distorting Sabah’s political history by omitting the controversial rise to power of Warisan President Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal in 2018.
Datuk Seri Clarence Bongkos Malakun-the Sabah Economic Advisory Council member and former Moyog Assemblyman, was responding to Jambun’s article titled “The Future of Sabah Must Be Determined by the People”, saying it was “riddled with high-minded rhetoric but dangerously short on honesty.”
“Let’s revisit the actual sequence of events following GE14 in 2018, since Jambun and Warisan loyalists seem eager to bury the facts under flowery slogans,” Clarence said in a statement today.
He labelled Shafie as “the original backdoor Chief Minister,” pointing to what he termed as the “original Langkah Istana” — a reference to the events that led to Shafie’s swearing-in as Chief Minister in 2018 despite Barisan Nasional (BN), led by then-Tan Sri Musa Aman, initially securing a majority and being sworn in first by the Head of State.
“What followed was not a democratic transfer of power but a political piracy,” said Malakun. “Six UPKO Assemblymen defected to Warisan after Musa was sworn in. And instead of seeking a confidence vote in the State Assembly, the Head of State unilaterally swore in Shafie. This plunged Sabah into a constitutional crisis, with two Chief Ministers sworn in within 48 hours.”
Clarence said it was disingenuous for Jambun to now preach about democracy and people’s power while ignoring the fact that Shafie “did not win power at the ballot box, but engineered it behind closed doors.”
24 Months of Dysfunction Under Warisan
Once in power, Clarence claimed the Warisan-led government quickly abandoned its reformist promises, replacing them with “nepotism, regionalism and incompetence.”
“There was a clear ‘sempornisation’ of the civil service, with key appointments going to Shafie’s loyalists and even family members. Meritocracy was thrown out the window,” he said.
He also highlighted controversial allegations surrounding the surge in squatter fires and fears of a “Project IC 2.0” under Warisan’s rule — suggesting an orchestrated move to alter the state’s demographic makeup for political gain.
According to Clarence, Warisan’s decision to cancel critical infrastructure projects such as the Telibong 2 and Sandakan water treatment plants contributed to Sabah’s ongoing water crisis.
“Their reckless actions led to project cancellations and forced the government to pay millions in compensation,” he added.
He also cited Warisan’s dismantling of the Pan Borneo Highway’s Project Delivery Partner (PDP) model as another example of political interference that delayed key development efforts in Sabah.
“Langkah Kinabalu” and the Hypocrisy of Warisan
Malakun further slammed Jambun’s criticism of former Chief Minister Musa Aman, branding it as hypocritical given Shafie’s own repeated attempts to topple elected governments.
“Shafie mounted two coups in five years — once in 2018 and again in 2023, when he teamed up with Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin to try and topple Chief Minister Datuk Seri Haji Hajiji Haji Noor,” he said.
While the 2018 attempt succeeded, the 2023 coup attempt failed. Yet Clarence pointed out that Shafie used the same tactics he once condemned, proving that his rhetoric about democracy was purely situational.
Democracy Requires Accepting Defeat
“True democrats don’t overthrow governments through shady alliances and party-hopping. They earn back power through service and ideas,” stressed Clarence.
He argued that Shafie’s political legacy is one of “short-term populism, regional favoritism, and constitutional brinkmanship,” and that Warisan continues to spin romantic narratives to cover up a troubled track record.
“If we are to respect democracy in Sabah, we must begin by telling the truth — Shafie was the original backdoor Chief Minister. His administration was marred by nepotism, institutional erosion, and infrastructural sabotage,” said Clarence.
“Sabah needs real leadership and not recycled slogans or revisionist history. Let the people decide, yes — but let them decide based on facts, not fiction,” he said.
