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“Saya bukan pakar ekonomi, tapi saya ada buku 555 yang boleh kira 1+1 = 2.” (I am not an economic expert, but I have a 555 booklet that can add 1+1=2.)

This, what I call statement of the year, was uttered by Sabah Finance Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Masidi Manjun during a Question and Answer session at the State Legislative Assembly this week.

The 555 booklet was a popular tool used by coffeeshops and sundry shops in the old days to record money owed by customers who will repay them after getting their salaries at the end of the month. Some used it as notebook including me when I started as a reporter in the early 70s.

The Minister’s statement received tremendous ‘applause’ from government backbenchers. One cannot applaud in the August House. Thumping of the table is used instead.

Masidi was answering pointers raised by  Opposition Assemblyman Datuk Shafie Apdal when asking a supplementary question. The original question had something to do with SMJ Energy “rescuing” SIP to the tune of RM 1 billion.

However, in view of the facts and figures of this “case” already covered by the media including Daily Express, I will not repeat them here. In his supplementary question, Shafie, among other things suggested that instead of SMJ Energy, Sabah Developing Bank (SDB) should do the rescuing. Something like that.

To which Masidi replied: “If you really think so, why didn’t you do it when you were in power?” Another round of thumping the tables.

A day before, the Minister tabled the Supplementary Bill amounting to just over a billion ringgit which was passed after debates.

Another opposition Assemblyman in his speech queried about the $3 million (I think) requested for the coming Sabah Day celebration on August 31.

Masidi explained that no extra cost is going to be incurred on the part of the State Government as the original $3 million was meant for the National Day or Merdeka Day which also falls on August 31. 

Not to be confused with Malaysia Day on September 16 which is also a public holiday. It was Najib when he was PM who made this possible in 2009 to preempt Selangor and Penang, then opposition states, who announced plans to celebrate Malaysia Day in Pakatan Harapan-led states.

Prior to that, September 16 was celebrated as the Governor’s (TYT) birthday holiday. After which, the TYT’s official birthday was moved to the first Saturday of October.

Say what you like about Najib. It was also him that approved the setting up of Malaysia’s Embassy in Vatican, Rome in 2016, I think. He also appointed a Sabahan Catholic in the person of Tan Sri Bernard Dompok as the First Malaysian Ambassador to the Holy See.

However, the then Malaysian government under PM Dr M cut short his tenure of office.

Najib also increased the quota of Malaysian Christians going for Pilgrimage to the Holy Land from merely 600 to 2,000. As a result of this increase, this writer and spouse were able to go to Jerusalem in 2019. 

I know Najib is now “famous” for the wrong reason but that is his personal problem. I am simply giving credit where it is due.

Experience tells me that when you are in power, be it PM or CM, everybody “worship” you or “Angkat Kaki” to the extend of brining Sabah fruits and coffee to give to his wife, Rosmah. 

But when you are nobody, everybody would distance from you. Thus the saying: You can be very nice and do wonders to people, but all it takes is one mistake for people to forget you.

Coming back to Sabah Day, I understand that it will be known as Hari Kebangsaan/Hari Sabah or National Day/Sabah Day lumped into one. Meaning no extra expenditure and no extra holiday. It makes sense as Sabah has too many holidays already. Besides, any extra money may as well be used to aid the flood victims especially in Penampang.

One Opposition Assemblyman described celebrating the National Day as spending money to celebrate someone else’s birthday, since Malaya became Independent in 1957. I wish to remind this Assembly that he should have objected when his party was in power and when his political master was the big boss.

Talking about the flood, I suggest the State Government give an award to the flood victim who drowned on TYT’s birthday. 

At least a BSK lah if not ADK. I know CM Hajiji is a kind man. He never fail to visit flood victims every year. It’s a posthumous award and the husband can always receive it on her behalf.

Flood victims are not uncommon but this is a special case. Mdm Ting drowned while sending food with her husband to other flood victims who were stranded at home.

She and her husband own a restaurant in 88 Kepayan. They could have chosen to just stay in the restaurant and earn more money. After all, they are not even Sabahans. They are from Sarawak. They got Big Hearts. Words cannot describe their unselfishness. 

Coming back to Sabah Day, this would be the second year it is celebrated. It started in Tambunan last year. However, Sabah Day was only gazetted recently so in a way the observance in KK this year can also be regarded as the first official Sabah Day.

The fact that it will be held at the KK Town padang, appropriately called Padang Merdeka, is most befitting because this was the site of Sabah’s Independence and subsequently boming part of Malaysia.

Sabah Day is perhaps synonymous with Datuk Seri Panglima Dr Jeffrey Kitingan. At a time when most Sabahans would shy away for fear of the ISA, Sabah Day was one of the things that Jeffrey fought for. Others include MA63, increase in Oil Royalty and the 40pc tax revenue as enshrined in the Constitution.

Jeffrey paid a heavy price. He was jailed for almost 3 years – the initial 60 days plus 2 years at Kamunting, Perak plus Restricted Residence even after release. Those days, who would have predicted that one day he would be Sabah DCM? God is Great.

To be fair, there were of course a few others who joined the chorus, especially after the ISA was abolished; again by PM Najib. They included PBS and SAPP and of course Jeffrey’s own party, Star.

In fact, SAPP initiated the first Sabah Day in Kundasang a few years ago in collaboration with Star I think. If I am not mistaken, it was later also held in Kota Marudu.

The latest that I can remember was at Jeffrey’s house in KK just before the 2020 State election, while Warisan+ was still in power.

Among those who spoke were Jeffrey himself, SAPP founder and president Datuk Seri Panglima Yong Teck Lee and SAPP Advisor Datuk Mohd Noor Mansoor (popularly known as Matnor).

While Sabahans my generation would know who Jeffrey and Yong are, may be the younger generation don’t know who Matnor is.  Matnor is a lawyer. During Usno time, he was Director of the State Establishment Office, now known as State Public Service Department. He later left to practise Law.

He was one of the founders of Parti Berjaya in 1975. He was arrested briefly in early 1976 under the ISA and sent to KL.

When Berjaya defeated Usno in April 1976, he was still under detention. I stand to be corrected.

However, after the Double Six tragedy, he was not only released but also asked to stand on a Berjaya ticket in a by-election in Papar replacing the late Datuk Salleh Sulong who was one of those killed in the place crash.  Matnor is from Kota Belud. If I am not mistaken, his mother is Chinese. Papar is his wife’s hometown.

He won the by-election and was appointed by CM Harris as Finance Minister. He continued in that position until 1985 when Berjaya was defeated by PBS. 

Soon after the 1985 election, Matnor replaced Harris who did not seek re-election as Berjaya president. However, in late 1980s Berjaya was dissolved and Matnor took a backseat in politics.

I don’t know since when, but Matnor later associated himself with SAPP. It must have been after SAPP left BN in 2008. 

I think so in view of Matnor’s anti-BN or anti-KL stand. I say this because since BN/Umno displaced the PBS government, to the best of my knowledge he never joined Umno. I stand to be corrected.

After the formation of the BN/Umno government since 1994, Matnor could have used his background and influence to be part of the government in Sabah. But he didn’t. In other words, he is not an opportunist.

Even after the formation of the PN Malaysian government a few years ago, there was this dinner function in KK which was attended by then PM (Muhyiddin, I think).

The attendees were asked to stand and pledged or sing while raising their hands. Something like that.

Matnor stood just to respect the PM but he didn’t raise his hand. That, ladies and gentlemen, is Matnor. Sabah needs more leaders like him.

For his service to Sabah, Matnor was awarded the State’s highest award, the SPDK which carries the title Datuk Seri Panglima last couple of years.  He already had a Datukship (PGDK) given during Berjaya time.

He must have been recommended by SAPP president Yong Teck Lee for his SPDK. But credit must also go to CM Hajiji for not objecting and the TYT Tun for approving. He deserved it. 

I don’t think I am too far wrong if I predict that Matnor is a potential candidate to be the Governor or TYT one day. Of course, this is only my prediction. He may not even want it. 

He is more than qualified, bearing in mind that a few others may be in the “waiting list”.

Going back to Masidi. I followed the Assembly proceedings through You Tube Live. I was impressed by Masidi’s performance. As a Sabahan, I am proud of him as my Finance Minister. He is sharp and intelligent.  Masidi, like Matnor, is a lawyer.

Who says you must be an economist or accountant or banker to be a good Finance Minister? He had a distinguished career as a civil servant prior to joining politics. He started off as a Legal Officer or Advisor in the Forestry Department in Sandakan.

In the late 70s or early 80s, he was handpicked by CM Harris to be the Tuaran District Officer. By the mid-80s, he was promoted to be the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Culture, Youth & Sports. He later resigned and went into private practice. After Umno entered Sabah, he became involved.

After the formation of the BN/Umno Sabah government, he was appointed as Chairman of the then Sabah Bank (or was it SDB?), I think. Something like that. But it gave him the useful grounding as a future Finance Minister.

I believe he first won an election (somewhere in Ranau, his hometown) in 2004 and was made a Minister. He was appropriately made Minister in his former Ministry – Culture, Youth & Sports.

When Tan Sri Chong Kah Kiat resigned as Tourism and Environment Minister, Masidi replaced him, bringing over the Culture portfolio from Youth & Sports. He concurrently became the State Exco for Education.

He stayed in this position until BN’s defeat in 2018. He was an Umno Assemblyman then. In early 2019, he followed Hajiji to cross over to Bersatu (PPBM) led by Dr M.ahathir.

In the 2020 State election, Masidi won again in Ranau and was made Local Government and Housing Minister cum Second Finance Minister under the GRS government.

In 2023, Masidi and most Bersatu assemblymen joined the “new” party PGRS led by CM Hajiji. Masidi became Deputy President of PGRS cum Secretary-General of the GRS coalition. By now it’s GRS+. Plus DAP, PKR & Upko.

It is widely predicted that one day, eventually, Masidi may replace Hajiji as CM. Don’t get me wrong. This is presuming that Hajiji wants to call it a day. Understood. He is almost 70. 

I once described the Hajiji-Masidi combination as akin to the ‘deadly’ James Wong-Hassan Sani combination of Sabah’s hey days in football in the 80s. 

The two have been friends since the late 70s or early 80s when Masidi was Tuaran DO and Hajiji as ADO. They understand each other. They work well together. Of course, this is not to say that others cannot be CM. This is just my opinion. For argument sake, Jeffrey or even Dr Joachim can be a good CM.

In conclusion, in a telephone interview following his speech in the Assembly, Masidi told this writer:

“I am a “Buku Tiga Lima” Finance Minister. Keep things simple. No need for bombastic theory to solve a problem. Just get it done!

“At my age, my only motivation to serve is to do a good job, break the ‘politically correct’ attitude of trying to please everyone at the expense of the State.” Sabah Maju Jaya.