Warisan calls for graft ombudsman, Sabah whistleblower protection law

Summary

• Warisan deputy president Darell Leiking moots an ombudsman in Sabah to deal with graft complaints.

• He also suggests Sabah enact its own whistleblower protection law.

• Leiking also wants to know how many companies linked to politicians have been awarded mineral exploration licences.

Warisan deputy president Darell Leiking has called for Sabah to set up an independent graft ombudsman to tackle graft in the state.

Speaking at the Sabah state legislature, the Moyog assemblyperson said the ombudsman should be independent enough to inspire confidence for the public to report graft to them.

The ombudsman would report to the state assembly, he added.

Leiking said the state should also come up with its own whistleblower protection laws.

"Even if it clashes a little bit with federal enforcement, we have to create laws where we protect whistleblowers in Sabah," he said on Monday.

Leiking's remarks come as a corruption scandal in Sabah - exposed by a whistleblower and implicating many in the state government - remains unresolved.

The scandal involves alleged bribes to government assemblypersons and state ministers, to secure mineral exploration licences.

On the topic of mineral exploration, Leiking called for a halt on awarding licences to private companies.

He said extraction of precious minerals should be handled by the state through government-linked companies.

Additionally, he asked the Sabah government to reveal the companies that have been awarded mineral exploration licences, and how many are tied to politicians and non-Sabahans.

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