Shafie Apdal responds to calls for investigation into Pan Borneo Highway project

Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal, President of Parti Warisan and former Chief Minister of Sabah, has urged critics to consult the Auditor-General’s Report before blaming his administration for delays in the Pan Borneo Highway Sabah project. This response follows demands from the Gerakan Kuasa Rakyat Malaysia (G57) for the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to summon Shafie to explain the 2019 decision to terminate the Project Delivery Partner (PDP) model.

G57 Chairman Datuk Zulkarnain Mahdar questioned the shift from the PDP model to a conventional method, seeking clarity on its impact on project financing, procurement processes, and implementation delays. He also requested an explanation regarding the reported increase in project costs from RM12.86 billion to approximately RM24.89 billion.

Shafie denied allegations that his administration terminated construction contracts, asserting that contractors have remained in place. He clarified that the change in the project delivery model should not be confused with the termination of construction firms and pointed to project performance data from 2015 and 2016, prior to Warisan taking office in 2018.