Former Sandakan MP condemns alleged abuse in Rumah Mesra SMJ programme

SANDAKAN (Feb 27): Former Sandakan MP Chong Hon Min has condemned the alleged abuse of power linked to the Rumah Mesra Sabah Maju Jaya (SMJ) programme, describing the matter as a profound betrayal of public trust.

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) in Sabah has intensified its probe into the implementation of the Sabah government’s flagship housing initiative, with three arrests made since April 2025.

The latest arrest involved a civil servant in his 40s who was detained in Kota Kinabalu on Wednesday, following the arrest of another suspect in his 50s in Sandakan two days earlier.

Reacting to the developments, the former parliamentarian expressed deep disappointment, saying the alleged offences strike at the very core of public service.

“This is not just a bureaucratic irregularity; it is a betrayal of trust on a fundamental level,” he said in a statement.

He noted that the Rumah Mesra SMJ programme was created with a clear, noble objective – to help low-income families own a home.

“For civil servants, who are the custodians of this mission, to allegedly abuse that trust for personal gain is truly heart-breaking,” he said.

Chong stressed that the impact of such alleged corruption goes beyond financial loss.

“When power is abused in a programme meant for the people, it means a family continues to live in inadequate housing.

“It means their dream is deferred, possibly indefinitely, because someone in a position of trust chose personal enrichment over duty.

“Civil servants are meant to be enablers of hope, not obstacles to it,” he said.

He highlighted the vulnerability of the lower-income community, noting that beneficiaries rely entirely on the integrity of the system and those entrusted to administer it.

“If that integrity is compromised, the entire purpose of the programme is defeated,” he said.

Chong also pointed out that such an incident tarnishes the reputation of the many hardworking and honest civil servants, while eroding public confidence in government initiatives.

At the same time, he commended the MACC for its ongoing investigation, describing it as crucial to restoring public faith in the Rumah Mesra SMJ initiative.

“The message must be clear: no one is above the law,” he said, adding that any attempt to sabotage a programme for the ‘rakyat’ must be met with firm and decisive action.

“I hope MACC will leave no stone unturned to ensure that those who have betrayed the public’s trust are held accountable,” he said.