SAPP supports call for special committee on Sabah issues

Party's Deputy President Melanie Chia says federal government must also give Sabah more resources and powers to resolve various issues on their own.

The setting-up of a special parliamentary committee to study the various problems faced by Sabahans is long overdue, said Melanie Chia of the Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP).

Chia, who is the party’s deputy president, said the suggestion made by Kalabakan MP Abdul Ghapur Salleh of Barisan Nasional, was a good start as he was only highlighting what many Sabahans in rural areas experienced on a daily basis.

Earlier this week, Ghapur called for the formation of a special parliamentary committee in Sabah to study the various problems faced by the locals there as he had lost confidence in the ministries tasked to handle the issues. “People in Sabah are still digging holes to defecate unlike how it is here (in the Peninsular) where we can flush and everything is luxurious,” he was quoted as saying.

“This is a Sabahan issue, regardless of our political beliefs, we feel hurt,” said Chia.

The former assemblywoman for Luyang said however that what was more important is that the state be given more powers and resources to adequately address their issues.

There is an old Chinese saying: “When there is a fire, water from far away cannot help you.”

“Sabah must be given more decision-making power and direct access to more resources.

“The state must also be given the autonomy to plan for Federal Government allocations and to decide how these allocations will be utilised.”

Chia said if this could be achieved, there would be lesser opportunities for corruption and leakages to occur as well.