Shafie Schools Nga On Waste Management Responsibility

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Semporna MP Shafie Apdal has brushed off the remarks by Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming, who told him to ensure the east coast town does not become the “dirtiest in Asia.”
Shafie said that waste management falls under local councils supervised by the state’s Local Government and Housing Ministry, not MPs.
“The responsibility for waste management and maintaining cleanliness does not fall on MPs.
“It is the duty of district councils under the Sabah Local Government and Housing Ministry,” he told reporters at Warisan’s headquarters in Kota Kinabalu yesterday.
With Visit Malaysia 2026 approaching, Nga had said Shafie, as a long-serving MP, had a duty to “go down to the ground” and monitor the town’s cleanliness recently.
Nga’s statement came at a time as Sabah readies for the state election after the dissolution of the state legislative assembly.
Semporna MP Shafie ApdalNga took Shafie to task over the rubbish issues in his constituency after a tourist highlighted the matter on TikTok.
According to Free Malaysia Today, a vlogger known as Backpacker Ben uploaded a video on TikTok showing a water village strewn with floating garbage. He also reportedly complained about the smell in the area.
The Warisan president is both MP for Semporna and assemblyperson for Senallang, and also serves as Sabah’s opposition leader, while Nga is DAP’s national deputy chairperson.
Warisan will go up against DAP, which is a component of Pakatan Harapan, in the state election, although both parties are in the Madani team together at the federal level.
Ready to work closely
Shafie stressed that the Semporna rubbish problem was not unique, as other areas also face the same problems.
“This is not just about Semporna. Pulau Gaya, Sandakan, Batu Sapi - many places face the same challenge. Waste drifts in from other districts.
“That is why solutions require coordinated policy, proper enforcement, and adequate funding, not just blaming one constituency.”
He said he was ready to cooperate to protect Sabah’s tourism image, but the focus must be on collaboration between federal and state ministries with local councils.
“Instead of pointing fingers, the federal minister should work closely with his state counterpart in Sabah to make sure the system functions,” he said.
Warisan president Shafie Apdal (left) welcoming former Kota Marudu district officer Arnold Joibi to the party foldWarisan used the occasion to parade 12 former senior district officers as new members.
Among them was former Semporna DO Bianus Kontong, who defended Shafie by noting initiatives like the “Sabah Bebas Sampah” campaign during the Warisan-led government (2018–2020).
Kontong recalled that litterbugs were fined RM50 or forced to don a vest labelled “Trash Monkey” while cleaning rubbish in public.
Warisan has attracted hundreds of new members in recent months, including former Umno stalwart and ex-minister Sairin Karno, and Edna Majimbun, daughter of former Sepanggar MP Eric Majimbun. - Mkini

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