Rise or fall ... it's up to Sabah people

KOTA KINABALU, Jan 10, 2011: Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) said it is time for political leaders in Sabah who only care about their own interest but not the electorates to go.

President Datuk Seri Yong Teck Lee said this was among the reasons many of the people problems remained unresolved until today.

He said the political leaders in Sabah, especially from the Barisan Nasional (BN) also did not dare to voice out for the people and asked for the rights of Sabah to be returned because they fear Kuala Lumpur.

"These are the reasons why Sabah becomes the poorest state, first they (the BN leaders) want to take care of themselves and busy lobbying for posts and projects, secondly they have a case. They fear being reprimanded and arrested," he said.

"If one day SAPP wins and form the State Government it is because we have the support. So, (taking care of) the people will be our main responsibility because they are the ones who voted for us.

"And should we fall it will also be due to the people and not Kuala Lumpur," he said, adding that it was for this reason that SAPP was fighting to regain the State autonomy.

"Today, whether the BN or Pakatan Rakyat both are the same … its leaders are appointed by Kuala Lumpur," he said.

In this respect, he said SAPP will be contesting to get majority in the State Assembly although he stressed the party never intended to contest in all the 60 state seats.

Therefore, a formula must be drawn up (by the opposition parties) for the coming 13th General Election or Sabah would continue to be split by the divide-and-rule tactics of the BN, he said.

"Umno, Parti Keadilan Rakyat and BN are all practicing the divide-and-rule … we must stop this by giving the people the power to choose their own State Government and leaders," he said.

Speaking at the meet-the-people session in Kampung Sembulan Tengah on Sunday, Yong also said that the BN has failed to keep the promises made during last year's Batu Sapi Parliamentary by-election.

Yong who was involved in the three-cornered fight by-election based his claims from the information of electorates and his personal observation during a return visit to Batu Sapi in Sandakan recently.

He found that many of the development projects that were launched by the BN during the by-election had yet to take off.

"For instance in Kampung Lupak Meluas, not only the foundation pillars of the project were missing but even the project's signboard was no where to be seen," he said.

"We have taken the pictures of all this as proof of Barisan Nasional's failure to fulfil its promises to the people," he said.

The people in Batu Sapi continued to be subjected to poverty and this was proven when he went to another village, Kampung Gas where the BN had distributed 30 zinc sheets to each family there.

Yong found out that some of the family despite their house roof still leaking decided to sell the zinc sheets because they don't have enough money to buy food.

Later, Yong received membership application forms from three new SAPP branches in Semporna namely Kampung Kuala Bibang 1 led by Asmarah Asmadi, Kampung Kuala Bibang II (Hasai Tudai) and Kampung Simunul (Utung Tanjung Baru).

Also on hand were former Finance Minister Datuk Mohd Nor Mansoor, party advisor, Datuk Hj Murshidi Nambi, SAPP deputy president Amde Sidek, SAPP Tanjung Aru CLC Chairman, Datuk Richard Yong, Information Chief Chong Pit Fah, Vice President Dullie Hj Marie and others Supreme Council members.