“How Much to Compensate Sabah Motorists? – Dr. Jeffrey”

KOTA KINABALU -  “The time has come for the Sabah government and Sabah Ministers, Deputy Ministers and MPs, both government and opposition, to step up and look after the interests of Sabah and Sabahans.   They need to stop the unfair and unjust treatment of Sabah by the federal government” said Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan, STAR Sabah Chief in commenting on toll hikes and government compensation for toll operators and concessionaires.

They need to ask themselves if they are there truly and sincerely to safeguard the rights of Sabah and the interests of Sabahans.  They need to remind themselves that they are voted in by the people of Sabah, regardless phantom voters, voters for hire or not.

They need to see beyond the toll hikes and toll compensations to ensure justice and fairness is served to the people in Sabah.

The PM himself said that the government paid toll compensation of RM459 million between 2008 and 2011, RM329 million in 2012 and RM343 million in 2013 and if toll is deferred in 2014 another RM404 million.   All in a whopping RM1.535 billion, all for the benefit of motorists in Malaya.

“What about the motorists in Sabah and Sarawak? asked Dr. Jeffrey.

One may say that there are no toll roads in Sabah but then again, there are no good quality roads in Sabah.   The one and only road linking Kota Kinabalu to Sandakan, the second largest town, is worse than ordinary kampong roads in Malaya, worse than roads in many Felda areas in rural Malaya.  On the other hand, kampong roads in Sabah are dirt and gravel roads which are not even level.

For the toll compensation paid in Malaya, there should be an equivalent compensation or at least a substantial equivalent to compensate motorists in Sabah.   This compensation can then be channeled to the Sabah government to improve roads and road conditions in Sabah for the benefit of Sabah motorists.

This request is not unreasonable given that Malaysia is a federation, an association of sovereign nations that are partners combining in the common to create a new nation but retaining their own individualities.

Sabah and Sabah motorists in particular should be treated with equality and fairness.  The federal government needs to be fair in treating Sabah motorists and the Sabah government and the people’s representatives from Sabah need to ensure that the federal government compensate Sabah motorists.