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I REFER to “Only In Sabah A Dozen Otters Can Close a RM50 million Park” (Afterthoughts, Sunday Express May 17, 2026).

I believe many were not aware that the Perdana Park site had been approved to house 5,000 low cost apartments that would be occupied by foreigners who possessed Malaysian documents because there was nowhere to put them when the Kota Kinabalu International Airport runway was being expanded.

That this information only became public knowledge more than a decade later because the park had remained closed for two years due to infestation by a couple of otters is equally interesting.

I hope the Daily Express reporting team would enlighten us on the inside stories of other events and incidents as well through the column.

It is a shame for the park to remain closed and the Mayor was forced to respond quickly that the closure was not City Hall’s fault but the State Attorney General’s Chambers. 

He did not indicate what was it in the agreement regarding the transfer of ownership of the property that was holding up the reopening.

I suggest that if it was about maintenance, then cut costs by operating the musical fountain only on special occasions. 

I’m sure the public would also not mind paying a small fee to exercise there or simply to enjoy good food at the restaurants, as used to be the case.

It could also do away with the expensive water treatment process for drinking water as the joggers would not mind bringing their own water bottles.

Credit goes to Governor Tun Musa Aman for making the gift a park to the people of Sabah during his term as Chief Minister and also for Daily Express and former CM Tan sri Chong Kah Kiat for doing what is right for the people of Sabah in preventing it becoming an “immigrant” nest just because a certain peninsula-based dominant party was hoping to capitalise on their votes, regardless of who the voters are.  

No wonder, Sabahans say they have had enough of peninsula-based parties who think they can bully us forever.

The article changed my perception about the rotation system of the CM post because imagine what would have happened if there was no rotation. 

The park would not have been possible and hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants would still be around and be the vote bank for a permanent takeover of Sabah by the party. 

No wonder their now jailed leader once said that Sabah was a “fixed deposit” state.

It is for the State AG’s Chambers now to not keep Sabahans who are looking forward to recreation in the nation’s most expensive jogging track waiting longer.

Fitness freak

The views expressed here are the views of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of the Daily Express. If you have something to share, write to us at: Forum@dailyexpress.com.my