Mt. Kinabalu Peak
The political maneuvers between PR and BN are still very active despite the result of recent election. The hot topic is on the BN members of parliament jumping ship to PR. The hottest state under speculation is Sabah, maybe due to its past records on changing alliances. Actually BN has a firm grip of that state winning almost 100% but then why this fragile loyalty. In fact most of key leaders from Sabah have started speaking their mind reminding their needs and expectations such as:
a) preservation of village reserves and Native Customary Right land.
b) abolishment of refugee settlements and establishments of a Royal Commission of Inquiry to investigate alleged issuance of identity cards to illegal immigrants.
c) development of basic infrastructures such as roads, electricity and treated water supply, especially in rural areas.
d) better representation of Sabah leaders at the federal level.
e) fairer returns for Sabah from the federal agencies in government linked companies.
f) abolishing the cooking oil subsidy scheme, which burdens oil palm planters.
g) abolishment of State Federal Development Department, set up to monitor disbursement of federal funds when Sabah was under the opposition PBS Government
h) priority to local Sabahans for top government positions instead of officers from Peninsular Malaysia.
i) more systematic development of schools, sufficient primary and secondary teachers especially in rural areas.
j) a solution to high cost of freight charges for goods imported into Sabah from Port Klang.
Most of the request above look reasonable and implementable but then action to address the issues must be slow resulting in all main stream and alternative medias covering it and Sabah MPs raising the same issues in parliament.
Although to get all the Sabah MPs changing alliances is almost impossible but if majority of them choose to change camp it will start the ball rolling for other MPs to follow suit. Pak Lah has no choice but to take early effective action to avoid the storm and move the ship to safe quadrant. Failing which the ship will enter the “calm area” which is the eye of the storm before all hell break loose.
a) preservation of village reserves and Native Customary Right land.
b) abolishment of refugee settlements and establishments of a Royal Commission of Inquiry to investigate alleged issuance of identity cards to illegal immigrants.
c) development of basic infrastructures such as roads, electricity and treated water supply, especially in rural areas.
d) better representation of Sabah leaders at the federal level.
e) fairer returns for Sabah from the federal agencies in government linked companies.
f) abolishing the cooking oil subsidy scheme, which burdens oil palm planters.
g) abolishment of State Federal Development Department, set up to monitor disbursement of federal funds when Sabah was under the opposition PBS Government
h) priority to local Sabahans for top government positions instead of officers from Peninsular Malaysia.
i) more systematic development of schools, sufficient primary and secondary teachers especially in rural areas.
j) a solution to high cost of freight charges for goods imported into Sabah from Port Klang.
Most of the request above look reasonable and implementable but then action to address the issues must be slow resulting in all main stream and alternative medias covering it and Sabah MPs raising the same issues in parliament.
Although to get all the Sabah MPs changing alliances is almost impossible but if majority of them choose to change camp it will start the ball rolling for other MPs to follow suit. Pak Lah has no choice but to take early effective action to avoid the storm and move the ship to safe quadrant. Failing which the ship will enter the “calm area” which is the eye of the storm before all hell break loose.
8 comments:
Salam Dato',
To be honest, I think we are already in the eye of the storm. And personally, I do hope we pass into the storm soon.
The grievances mentioned by the Sabahan are similar to the Sarawakians. In fact, the problems also persist even amongst certain states in the peninsular. Notable amongst them is Kelantan, which has been denied its annual allocation under the constitution, and how land issues keep cropping up due to Federal mismanagement. Then we have Terengganu where their Oil Royalty were confiscated back in 2000, and how the funds were abused by those Sarkas people.
Yes, I certainly do hope and pray that we are moving into the storm. And if the Sarkas ship sink, the Captain must either be the last to leave, or go down with his ship. And legend has it most Captains would prefer to go down :)
Shah,
Nowadays they breed new type of Captain that abandoned the ship before the crew. It happened in the Straits of Malacca, the ship sank with some of the crews while the Captain swims ashore for safety. When asked by investigator why he left the ship before the crew, he said he went ashore to seek assistance for the ship???
You are right we maybe in the eye of the storm. Few options left, jettison the cargo/crew, abandoned ship, do nothing and prayed hard!!!
dato J,
datuk Yong Teck Lee has given the ultimatum until august to the BN leaders to improve as far sabah is concerned or face the wrath. maybe this is what DSAI has been talking about all along. the latter even came out with a rather confident statement that it could happen as soon as september.
Kerp,
Yes the indicators all pointing at the wind of change, unless Pak Lah fulfill their request.
I was at Kimanis recently visiting the RM 2 Billion site for Sabah Oil Gas Terminal, it was a good effort to bring mega project to Sabah but at the same time they need the other fundamental changes. The ratio of 2/3 of their population are illegal immigrants is rather scary.
dear jaflam
a senior journalist from the nst group shares your opinion on the slim possibility that Sabah BN MPs might crossover. As it is now, their contribution in term of the number of seats won in Parliament would act as their trump card in solving many social problems in Sabah. Still I think, politics is the art of possible.
Salam Shirzad,
The politics in Malaysia has entered an interesting stage with most of the Rakyat educated, critical and thinking. For the good and bad that have been done by Tun Mahathir, for more then twenty years he has exposed the population on high level of critical thinking and expectation. He has challenged their mind and rational, including the opposition and the Rulers. Ironically men work best when being challenged to the wall, Pak Lah weaknesses just pave the way for the people to exercise their acquired skill.
I believed the Sabahan have an open political ideology, they will do what is best for them. As you rightly said, they will use their bargaining power well.
The eventual winner will be the party that stops treating the Rakyat for granted. Everything is possible if you allowed it to be. Thanks for you valuable comments.
Salam DJ,
Ini pandangan peribadi saya. Seorang pemimpin yang sanggup bertukar parti hanya untuk pepentingan diri adalah tidak layak untuk memimpin. Tidak harus diberi kepercayaan lagi oleh rakyat.
Zabs,
Saya juga bersetuju dengan pandangan tuan tapi malangnya dalam politik segalanya mungkin. Rakyat telah membuat keputusan dalam PRU 12, sebaiknya janganlah ada lagi pemimpin yang mementingkan diri melebihi kepentingan negara dan rakyat. Adalah lebih baik PR membuktikan kewibawaan mereka melalui negeri yang mereka perintah dan menjadi pembangkang yang efektif ditempat lain. Salam.
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