Spineless BN component leaders and rivalry within Sabah Umno are causing havoc in the state, says a former chief minister.
PENAMPANG: A power struggle between opposing camps of Sabah Umno leaders is wreaking havoc and crippling development in the state.
According to former chief minister Yong Teck Lee, the open rivalry between Chief Minister Musa Aman and Federal Rural and Regional Development Minister Shafie Apdal had resulted in a stalemate, with scores of issues affecting the people unresolved.
“We know that many of Shafie’s projects in Sabah are now stalled due to non-cooperation from the various state departments and agencies,” he said.
He said that rivalry within Sabah Umno was also causing dissatisfaction among the lower echelon leaders and supporters of Barisan Nasional (BN).
Yong was speaking at a gathering-cum-dinner held in conjunction with the party’s 17th anniversary at Kampung Pogunon near here on Friday.
He took a swipe at Sabah BN component party leaders for their inability to resolve outstanding local issues and accused these leaders of being “mere Umno stooges”.
“All BN component parties like PBS, Upko, PBRS, MCA, LDP are in office but not in power. It is Umno which is in power… Umno is their political master and not the rakyat who they claim to represent,” he said.
Spineless leaders
Yong said the BN parties claimed to represent the Kadazandusun and Murut (KDM) community, yet complaints continued to multiply on the erosion of their land rights and other matters.
He added that urban poverty among the KDM community had also grown while its representation in the civil service hierarchy was kept at a minimum.
“Upko and PBS constantly complain about the issuance of MyKads to illegal immigrants, which is still happening today, but their leaders who are ministers in the federal and state Cabinets either don’t do anything or cannot do anything although they hold senior position with privileges and perks.
“They have position but no power,” Yong said.
He said that judging from comments made by the people, they had nothing but scorn for their leaders who are constantly “kowtowing to and exalting” their political masters in Putrajaya.
He cited PBS secretary-general, Henrynus Amin, who lavished praise on federal leaders in Putrajaya for appointing two Sabahans as RTM and Information Department directors.
He said that it was unflattering and servile of the PBS leader to do so as in the past Sabahans like Jumat Engson and Justin Miol had served in the same posts.
Missed opportunity
Yong also pointed to the “window of opportunity” moment for Sabah when SAPP moved a motion of no confidence against the then prime minister Ahmad Abdullah Badawi after the March 8 “political tsunami” in 2008.
“After 45 years, from 1963 to 2008, at last we saw a chance for us to correct so many things that were wrong in Malaysia and Sabah in particular.
“In the past 45 years, from Usno to Berjaya to PBS eras, Sabahans were constantly reminded by federal leaders that they could not rule the state without backing from Kuala Lumpur.
“What happened after the March 8 tsunami was the reverse. If KL had no backing from Sabah and Sarawak, it could not form the government at the federal level and that was a significant change.
“Since it has been 45 years, what’s wrong if Sabahans make demands to rectify so many injustices in terms of development, education, illegal immigrants, civil service, unjust policies like the cabotage policy? ” he asked.
Unfortunately, local Sabah leaders did not see it the same way, he said.
Yong blamed the current chaotic situation in the state administration on the presence of excessive vested interests in the government and the ruling parties.
He said the series of controversies that had arisen all pointed to money-making schemes, including the much objected coal-fired power plant, the Atkinson Clock Tower project, the now scrapped Khidmat Hospital proposal, the much-delayed Tanjung Aru flyover, the Kota Kinabalu-Tenom railway project, the Labuan ferry service fiasco, and the freeze on native certificates.
On the Kota Kinabalu-Tenom railways project, Yong claimed to have reliably learnt that during a test run conducted sometime last year that the new locomotive purchased from China was too big for the platform.
Describing it as an “infantile mistake”, Yong said: “If you are using a Nokia cell phone, don’t go and buy a Samsung charger. So in this case, should we change the railway or change the locomotive? I say, we change the government.”
Separation of powers
Yong also slammed the government’s attempt to drag the Chief Justice of Sabah and Sarawak into the native certificate controversy over its revocation of Sabah DAP chief, Jimmy Wong’s native status.
He said the state government did not seem to understand basic administration.
“Who advises the government on laws? Is it the attorney-general? The chief justice is a judge. You are asking the chief justice to give legal advice to the government?” he asked.
Yong said that it was baffling that such a basic principle of law – the separation of powers between the state and the judiciary – had been missed despite the fact that there are seven qualified lawyers in the state Cabinet namely, Joseph Pairin Kitingan, Dr Yee Moh Chai, Masidi Manjun, Yahya Hussin, Azizah Mohd Dun, Raymond Tan Shu Kiah and Dr Ewon Ebin.
By Queville To
PENAMPANG: A power struggle between opposing camps of Sabah Umno leaders is wreaking havoc and crippling development in the state.
According to former chief minister Yong Teck Lee, the open rivalry between Chief Minister Musa Aman and Federal Rural and Regional Development Minister Shafie Apdal had resulted in a stalemate, with scores of issues affecting the people unresolved.
“We know that many of Shafie’s projects in Sabah are now stalled due to non-cooperation from the various state departments and agencies,” he said.
He said that rivalry within Sabah Umno was also causing dissatisfaction among the lower echelon leaders and supporters of Barisan Nasional (BN).
Yong was speaking at a gathering-cum-dinner held in conjunction with the party’s 17th anniversary at Kampung Pogunon near here on Friday.
He took a swipe at Sabah BN component party leaders for their inability to resolve outstanding local issues and accused these leaders of being “mere Umno stooges”.
“All BN component parties like PBS, Upko, PBRS, MCA, LDP are in office but not in power. It is Umno which is in power… Umno is their political master and not the rakyat who they claim to represent,” he said.
Spineless leaders
Yong said the BN parties claimed to represent the Kadazandusun and Murut (KDM) community, yet complaints continued to multiply on the erosion of their land rights and other matters.
He added that urban poverty among the KDM community had also grown while its representation in the civil service hierarchy was kept at a minimum.
“Upko and PBS constantly complain about the issuance of MyKads to illegal immigrants, which is still happening today, but their leaders who are ministers in the federal and state Cabinets either don’t do anything or cannot do anything although they hold senior position with privileges and perks.
“They have position but no power,” Yong said.
He said that judging from comments made by the people, they had nothing but scorn for their leaders who are constantly “kowtowing to and exalting” their political masters in Putrajaya.
He cited PBS secretary-general, Henrynus Amin, who lavished praise on federal leaders in Putrajaya for appointing two Sabahans as RTM and Information Department directors.
He said that it was unflattering and servile of the PBS leader to do so as in the past Sabahans like Jumat Engson and Justin Miol had served in the same posts.
Missed opportunity
Yong also pointed to the “window of opportunity” moment for Sabah when SAPP moved a motion of no confidence against the then prime minister Ahmad Abdullah Badawi after the March 8 “political tsunami” in 2008.
“After 45 years, from 1963 to 2008, at last we saw a chance for us to correct so many things that were wrong in Malaysia and Sabah in particular.
“In the past 45 years, from Usno to Berjaya to PBS eras, Sabahans were constantly reminded by federal leaders that they could not rule the state without backing from Kuala Lumpur.
“What happened after the March 8 tsunami was the reverse. If KL had no backing from Sabah and Sarawak, it could not form the government at the federal level and that was a significant change.
“Since it has been 45 years, what’s wrong if Sabahans make demands to rectify so many injustices in terms of development, education, illegal immigrants, civil service, unjust policies like the cabotage policy? ” he asked.
Unfortunately, local Sabah leaders did not see it the same way, he said.
Yong blamed the current chaotic situation in the state administration on the presence of excessive vested interests in the government and the ruling parties.
He said the series of controversies that had arisen all pointed to money-making schemes, including the much objected coal-fired power plant, the Atkinson Clock Tower project, the now scrapped Khidmat Hospital proposal, the much-delayed Tanjung Aru flyover, the Kota Kinabalu-Tenom railway project, the Labuan ferry service fiasco, and the freeze on native certificates.
On the Kota Kinabalu-Tenom railways project, Yong claimed to have reliably learnt that during a test run conducted sometime last year that the new locomotive purchased from China was too big for the platform.
Describing it as an “infantile mistake”, Yong said: “If you are using a Nokia cell phone, don’t go and buy a Samsung charger. So in this case, should we change the railway or change the locomotive? I say, we change the government.”
Separation of powers
Yong also slammed the government’s attempt to drag the Chief Justice of Sabah and Sarawak into the native certificate controversy over its revocation of Sabah DAP chief, Jimmy Wong’s native status.
He said the state government did not seem to understand basic administration.
“Who advises the government on laws? Is it the attorney-general? The chief justice is a judge. You are asking the chief justice to give legal advice to the government?” he asked.
Yong said that it was baffling that such a basic principle of law – the separation of powers between the state and the judiciary – had been missed despite the fact that there are seven qualified lawyers in the state Cabinet namely, Joseph Pairin Kitingan, Dr Yee Moh Chai, Masidi Manjun, Yahya Hussin, Azizah Mohd Dun, Raymond Tan Shu Kiah and Dr Ewon Ebin.
By Queville To
TYT orang suluk. nanti safie dal menang orang suluk juga. bajau, bisaya, kdm masuk museum ka. ni orang sabah bila mau buka mata.
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