Kota Kinabalu: Negotiations regarding the Sabah-Indonesia border have yet to be finalised, said Deputy Chief Minister II Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun.
“As I have said, discussions on the border demarcation have not yet been finalised. So we are waiting for the outcome of these negotiations,” he said when met after representing the Chief Minister at the launch of the Sabah Timber Legality Assurance Scheme Plus (TLAS+) Booklet at a hotel here on Thursday.
He was responding to a question on the Prime Minister’s explanation regarding the border issue.
The Sabah–Indonesia border dispute involves both maritime and land boundaries between Sabah and North Kalimantan. Although Malaysia and Indonesia have agreements dating back several decades, overlapping claims in certain maritime zones and the precise delineation of some land areas have resulted in periodic disagreements.
Both governments continue to engage in negotiations to clarify the boundaries, with the aim of ensuring security, economic development and the welfare of communities living along the border.
Masidi also commented on the state of government-linked companies (GLCs) in Sabah for 2026 and the ongoing restructuring process.
“The ones that have been closed are mostly subsidiaries. This restructuring process is ongoing. The principle is simple — if a subsidiary is not generating income, the appropriate action is to close it,” he said.
When asked whether there was an exact figure for GLCs in Sabah, Masidi estimated that there are 27 holding (parent) companies.
“Just the parent companies alone are more than 20. There are indeed many subsidiaries, but they function as support for the parent companies,” he added.
GLCs in Sabah play a critical role in the state’s economy, with involvement in key sectors such as utilities, infrastructure, transport and tourism. Over the years, some GLCs have developed extensive subsidiary networks, but not all have been profitable.
The state government has therefore undertaken a rationalisation and restructuring exercise to improve efficiency, reduce redundancies and focus on sustainable revenue generation for parent companies.
