Sarawak Deputy Chief Minister James Jemut Masing has been demonised by many after a local Sarawak daily quoted him as saying that the state government should use up its RM31 billion reserves before the next state election, due in 2021.

But did he actually say that?

“Of course not. Do you think Masing is an idiot? Because only an idiot will make such a ludicrous statement”, Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) secretary-general Joseph Salang told Malaysiakini today. Masing is PRS president...