Max may need many more terms as YB

DATUK Dr Maximus Ongkili has been the Assemblyman and Member of Parliament for Tandek and Kota Marudu for the 4th term now.

I have read his booklet distributed among PBS supporters and voters in 2004 entitled Perjuangan Belum Selesai "Wawasan dan Matlamat" Pemimpin yang Berjiwa Rakyat Prihatin & Berwibawa about his efforts in bringing development to Kota Marudu.

I still remember how Dr Maximus became a leader. He made it good only in Kota Marudu and not Tambunan. He has a winning card every time irrespective of whether he stands under PBS as opposition candidate or on government ticket. This is because the people of Kota Marudu are very rational. Perhaps too rational to be irrational.

Let's see why the electorate continues to support as well why he needs to continue representing Kota Marudu. To him 4th term or 5th term is still not enough because he already said "perjuangan belum selesai" we never know when. Only he knows when it selesai.

Of course, there are so many things not done or completed yet. Such as the roads from one village to another in the rural areas sude as Kg Tungab, Kg Bambangan, aud Kias Kg Tangab have been without road since Usno time until now.

Kg. Gontoi, Kg, Torintidon, Kg Lampada, Kg Kotud, Kg Paka, Kg Birawon Kg Tagaroh, Kg Rugading, Kg Pompodon, Kg Soronsob, Kg Lama, Kg Simpangan, Kg Patiu, Kg Nangka require roads to be upgraded and sealed.

Kg Patiu needs a long bridge across Sg Pengapuyan and not a hanging bridge. Where is the hanging bridge in Kg Simpangan? Many more are still in bad condition and some are not passable ever without rainy season. This is excluding the infrastructural development in Tandek and Matungong areas.

As for the PPRT houses for the rural poor in the three districts, there are still more to be built and needed as there are still many dilapidated houses and longhouses that need to be maintained and built.

Aside from that, pipe water supply for the past 20 years is seen lacking and still practising water rationing. At the same time, electricity to the rural and really outskirt areas are still lacking or none at all. Tan Sri Chong Kah Kiat needed only two years to transform Kudat. If it is not because of the Mazu Fengsui that brought him down as Deputy Minister, he could have done more for Kudat, the first State capital during colonial time in 1885.

Again, the reinstatement of Langkon seat is not done yet. Such abolishment is tantamount to political deprivation of the KDM people. We never knew when it would be reinstated and which party it would be given. I bet it would be for Umno as Vetrom Bahanda is eyeing it.

But one might ask if Langkon and Sook were at the same time abolished to pave for more seats for Umno (32 seats) in order to become a majority and creating few seats for KDM people who are mostly PBS supporters. PBS, once in the opposition but now in BN left with 12 seats. Why Tan Sri Joseph Kurup of PBRS managed to negotiate the reinstatement of Sook constituency but Dr Maximus failed to do the same for Langkon?

What is the difference between a lawyer and a Doctor of Philosophy when it comes to the negotiation table?
The people are"questioning his wisdom and his ability to negotiate with Federal leaders now that he is a Federal Minister for two terms. It is the support of the people of Kota Marudu that made him a leader both at the State and Federal level. Concerning political appointments of Kadazandusuns from Kota Marudu, it is noted that Dr Maximus had been unfair in appointing People Development Leader (PKR) and Community Development Officer (CDO) and other political jobs.

For instance, the appointment of PKR and CDO were both from Tandek district and none from Kota Marudu district. The only post given to local Kota Marudu is Deputy Native Chief Kuntingai and Joseph Kulai as Pemaju Masyarakat. Malakin Gundiar is left without any job since 1994 but still remains loyal to him and PBS.

The most ideal we can think of is if PKR job is given to leader from Tandek area, CDO must be allocated to leader from Kota Marudu district while both districts must be given native chief each and must be distributed fairly.

The Rungus are fairly represented because Native Chief Borhan and Mokinsos are both from Rungus community but from Umno.

Despite KDM being the majority voters that contributed to his victory all this while, Dr Maximus never cared to know the real needs of KDMs to create and appoint District Chief.

All this while, District Chiefs are appointed from Bumiputera Muslim such as OKK Awang Ali, OKK Manggong, OKK Aziz Manggong, OKK Nawang to name a few.

Kota Belud district is as big as Kota Marudu or may be smaller than Kota Marudu yet has three District Chiefs. I feel former Ketua Kampong Goshen, KK Assan Gaban should have be given a chance to become District Chief for he past 20 years now KDM people used to have one District Chief during colonial time such as OKK Sompido. So Maximus should do some work before the 13th general election.

He should see how many of his supporters had not been given any type of political or government appointment. He still can do that if he still wants to continue enjoying the peoples' support.

The appointment of Lu as his Political Secretary is seen by the public as unwise as Chinese voters only comprised about 800-1,000 people.

Yet the people of Kota Marudu are still very rational, perhaps too rational and make no complaint about it. That's the beauty of Kota Marudu people!

Try the same in Tambunan and see what will happen.

I still remember a function at Dewan Masyarakat Kota Marudu and among the attendees were Datuk Maijol Mahap. Dr Maximus said "yet still there is no qualified local born hader from Kota Maradu".

To him a Master of Law from England is still not qualified because he is not from Harvard like him or Dr Jeftey Kitingan. Dr Jurin Gunsalam and other local qualified leaders in Kota Marudu, Tandek and Matunggong areas are all not qualified because they are not from Harvard University or Oxford University.

Despite this, he still enjoys the people's support not because he graduated from Harvard but because he is KDM, a PBS leader and under the patronage of 'Huguan Siou'.

Try your luck in Banggi, Kudat, Bengkoka or even in Sook and Kadamaian and see whether you still enjoy the same support as used to have receive in Kota Marudu.

Mr Bondly
Local Kota Marudu