Why SAPP must form the next government of Sabah, Part I

This is the first time in 20 years that a truly genuine Sabah political party has the realistic chance of forming a new government.  The formula that made this possible for SAPP is because it is a truly non-racial ideological party.  This is unlike any other party in existence today.  SAPP’s values are based on good governance, equality for all, and respect of religion in the idiosyncratic realm where separation of religion and the affairs of state must be respected in government; where race must never be a factor when deciding merits.  These fundamental values are what would guarantee a nation's peace and prosperity.

The party is also guided by its 8 points declaration to ensure we build a strong justifiable relationship with the federal entity.

The following are the 8 points:  

1. That the government shall be of the people and based on Good Governance and Civil Society and non-racial politics based on a progressive, just and harmonious society,

2. That Sabah shall have political autonomy whereby the government shall be formed and run by the people of Sabah,

3. That Sabah and other oil producing States shall be entitled to the petroleum royalty of 20%

4. That the Federal Territory of Labuan shall be returned to Sabah and governed as a special region,

5. That unfair and imprudent federal laws which have been extended to Sabah and federal departments and which are to the detriment of the State shall be reviewed,

6. That Sabah shall be given fair and just participation in the federal administration, the civil service and private sector, and that the federal departments in Sabah shall, as far as possible, be headed by local Malaysians,

7. That the federal government and the state governments shall put in sufficient resources, political will and leadership in solving the illegal immigrant problems in a firm but humane manner, with emphasis on regional concept and smart partnership,

8. That the federal and state governments shall together work on redressing the in-built structural imbalances in the economic and social structure of the country affecting Sabah and other states.

SAPP PARTY CULTURE

PREAMBLE

The growth of the party must be set in the right direction and properly managed. SAPP is challenging its members to look deeper into themselves, to become leaders in the quest for personal excellence through a proper understanding of the importance of party culture i.e. the need for us all to have the right culture and values.

Thus, with a good party culture as a general guideline, which is understood and practised by all party members, we should be able to achieve our aims and objectives.

The following are the seven (7) characteristics of SAPP Party Culture :

1. Unity

To inculcate the spirit of "thought and action" as a guiding force in all our actions, the spirit of "thought and action" being founded upon the concept of "Togetherness".

2. Commitment

To always act and move in unison to achieve the objectives. There is a need to strive for excellence at all times. We need to continuously review our strengths and weaknesses and take the appropriate remedial steps where necessary. Unselfish commitment towards a common goal and total dedication of oneself with promote a good sense of belonging within the Party.

3. Service

To be action-oriented and have a caring attitude. Promotion of the caring attitude must prevail as a party culture, being not only concerned with the needs and welfare of our own members but also that of the general public, in particular those who are in actual need. It is vitally important to develop a critical awareness of our social responsibility at all times.

4. Credibility

To foster and develop a high level of credibility by doing and delivering what we say We must set standards to guide our behaviour i.e. in order to practice what we preach or in order to walk our talk!


5. Discipline

To be obedient to the Party policies and goals and to achieve this we must be disciplined by abiding by the Party's Code of Ethics. We must be disciplined not to be influenced by extreme thoughts and actions but always yielding to the greater objectives of the Party. With the advent of materialism and modernization and the spiritual era taking backstage, hence bringing about many social ills, discipline must play its important role to strike a balance. A well disciplined organization will not be destroyed. Discipline as part and parcel of the organisation culture will definitely make the organisation strong and cohesive.

6. Resilience

To have the ability to regain strength each time we fall or to maintain our strength in the face of adversities. To establish a resilient character in ourselves and always understand the importance of having faith in our ability to achieve success. One will be readily able to recover from any shock or depression and adaptable to a change once necessary.

7. Progress

Progress shall be a key hallmark of our Party. To achieve this characteristic as our Party Culture we must be readily adaptable to the rapidly changing world. A progressive culture will ultimately contribute to the establishment of a scientific and progressive society. This will create a society that is innovative and forward looking, one that is not only a consumer of technology but also a contributor to the scientific and technological civilization of the future.

SAPP also holds the paramount and absolute faithful adherence to the creed as depicted in the 20 points memorandum within the 1963 agreement during the formation of Malaysia.
The following are statements of the Twenty Points:

The Twenty Points for the safeguard of Sabah

Sabah's conditions for joining the Federation of Malaysia

1. Religion: 

While there was no objection to Islam being the national religion of Malaysia there should be no State religion in North Borneo, and the provisions relating to Islam in the present Constitution of Malaya should not apply to North Borneo.

2. Language: 

(a) Malay should be the national language of the Federation;
(b) English should continue to be used for a period of ten years after Malaysia Day;
(c) English should be the official language of North Borneo, for all purposes State or Federal, without limitation of time

3. Constitution: 

Whilst accepting that the present Constitution of the Federation of Malaya should form the basis of the Constitution of Malaysia, the Constitution of Malaysia should be a completely new document drafted and agreed in the light of a free association of States and should not be a series of amendments to a Constitution drafted and agreed by different States in totally different circumstances. A new Constitution for North Borneo, was, of course, essential.

4. Head of the Federation: 

The Head of the State in North Borneo should not be eligible for election as head of the Federation.

5. Name of Federation: 

‘Malaysia’ but not ‘Melayu Raya’ (or ‘Greater Malaya’).

6. Immigration: 

Control over immigration into any part of Malaysia from outside should rest with the Federal Government but entry into North Borneo should also require the approval of the State Government. The Federal Government should not be able to veto the entry of persons into North Borneo for State Government purpose except on strictly security grounds. North Borneo should have unfettered control over the movement of persons, other than those in Federal Government employ, from other parts of Malaysia into North Borneo.

7. Right of Secession: 

There should be no right of secession from the Federation.

8. Borneonisation: 

Borneonisation of the public services should proceed as quickly as possible.

9. British Officers: 

Every effort should be made to encourage British Officers to remain in the public services until their places can be taken by suitably qualified people from North Borneo.

10. Citizenship: 

The recommendations in paragraph 148(k) of the Report of the Cobbold Commission should govern the citizenship rights in the Federation of North Borneo persons subject to the following amendments:
(a) Sub-paragraph (i) should not contain the proviso as to five years residence;
(b) In order to be consistent with the laws of North Borneo, sub-paragraph (ii) (a) should read ’seven out of ten years’ instead of ‘eight out of twelve years’;
(c) Sub-paragraph (iii) should not contain any restriction tied to the citizenship of parents – a person born in North Borneo after Malaysia (was formed) must be a Federal citizen.

11. Tariffs and Finance: 

North Borneo should have control of its own finance, development funds and tariffs.

12. Special Position of Indigenous Races: 
In principle, the indigenous races of North Borneo should enjoy special rights analogous to those enjoyed by Malays in Malaya, but the present Malaya formula in this regard is not necessarily applicable in North Borneo.

13. State Government: 

(a) The Chief Minister should be elected by unofficial members of (the) Legislative Council;
(b) There should be a proper Ministerial system in North Borneo.

14. Transitional Period: 

This should be seven years and during such period legislative power must be left with the State of North Borneo by the Constitution and not be merely delegated to the State Government by the Federal Government.

15. Education: 

The existing educational system of North Borneo should be maintained and for this reason should be under State control.

16. Constitution Safeguards: 

No amendment, modification or withdrawal of any special safeguards granted to North Borneo should be made by the Federal Government without the positive concurrence of the Government of the State of North Borneo. The power of amending the Constitution of the State of North Borneo should belong exclusively to the people in the State.

17. Representation in Federal Parliament: 

This should take account not only of the population of North Borneo but also its size and potentialities and in any case should not be less than that of Singapore.

18. Name of Head of State: Yang di-Pertua Negara.

19. Name of State: Sabah.

20. Land, Forests, Local Government, etc.:

The provisions in the Constitution of the Federation in respect of the powers of the National Land Council should not apply in North Borneo. Likewise the National Council for Local Government should not apply in North Borneo.

Guided by these ideological doctrines, SAPP is poised to form a new kind of government that are truly “of the people, by the people and for the people.”  With these truly genuine concepts that respect the original contract and respecting the core values of humanity, SAPP is poised to become the best and most competent government ever in our nation’s history.  Such brilliant formula will guarantee peace, prosperity and harmony in our multi-ethnic, multi-religious, multi-racial, heterogonous society.  This is a formula that will cause nation's on earth to become envy.  We have a chance today to implement such utopia of a government that truly honours every human life.  This is an opportunity of a lifetime for all racial groups in Sabah to honour humanity's call for peace, prosperity and harmony.  We Sabahan must not miss this opportunity to choose good governance based on genuine respect for humanity.

SAPP is the only genuine local political party that has very early on produced a brilliant Manifesto.  Knowing the contents of this manifesto will instil in you a sense of trust that SAPP will never let our country and our people down.  These are the essence of a truly principled political party that are serious about the health and welfare of a nation and its people.  Below list the core promise of SAPP Manifesto:

Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) Manifesto 2012

Sabah deserves better in terms of more equitable distribution of opportunities, in social, economic and infrastructural development and a better quality of life.

We are faced with sad realities in Sabah: the so-called state autonomy is only in the imagination as the divide-and-rule regime practised by Kuala Lumpur has brought a proud people to their knees. The honour, dignity, sovereignty and security of the state and nation are threatened by the presence of illegal immigrants many of whom have acquired legal status. Sabah although rich in natural resources and once the second richest state in the country, is now the poorest. With authority concentrated in Kuala Lumpur, being poor also made Sabahans powerless and they have come to depend on and subservient to others, particularly peninsular Malaysian politicians in Kuala Lumpur.

This must change.

Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) wants to effect this change and restore Sabah's rightful position in Malaysia.

On 17 September 2008, the day that SAPP took a decisive step to leave the Barisan Nasional, the Party had also approved a "People¡¯s Declaration", commonly known as the 8-Point Declaration. This declaration provides the basic framework of our manifesto for the 13th General Election.

With a disciplined and united team in SAPP, the Party will be able to provide a similarly strong team in the government. But before we can do that, we need the voters in Sabah to trust our struggles to address the deterioration and restore

- the spirit of the Malaysia Agreement
- our rightful position as equal partners in the Federation of Malaysia
- our rights and privileges in the choice of our state leaders
- our control over our resources
- our role in the running of our beloved country.

Malaysia is one country with historical, ethnical and practical differences between the component states. We shall pursue a "one country, two systems" approach to address these distinct differences so that the uniqueness of Sabah are not marginalised and eventually forgotten.

Only a resounding endorsement from the voters in Sabah can make this Manifesto a reality.

With our mission: To Establish a Trustworthy Government and a Progressive, Just and Harmonious Society, we pledge to the people of Sabah that we shall do the followings:

1 SABAH IDENTITY CARD (SABAH IC)

In order to safeguard the identity rights of genuine Malaysians of Sabah origin, Sabahans need our own Identity Cards to differentiate ourselves from the dubious document holders. The massive proliferation of fake identity papers in Sabah is a failure of the Malaysian authorities to protect and preserve our sovereignty.
SAPP will issue the Sabah Identity Card to qualified Malaysians in Sabah. A State department will be set up for this purpose. This is entirely within the constitutions of Sabah and Malaysia.

The Sabah IC holders will be entitled to land ownership within the State, trading license, State scholarships, social welfare and other benefits from the State Government or its agencies.

2 BORNEONISATION

As true Malaysians, we in Sabah sincerely feel that the Federal Government must honour the 1963 Malaysia Agreement in safeguarding the interests, rights, and the autonomy of the people of Sabah upon the formation of the federation of Malaysia.

The Federal Government is legally obligated to respect, honour and implement the Malaysia Agreement relating to the Borneonisation of the federal public service in Sabah.
SAPP will seek what Sabah is legally entitled to, including recourse to judicial redress. A legal suit to enforce Borneonisation will be instituted six months after SAPP forms the Sabah State Government if the Federal Government fails or refuses to honour promise of Borneonisation stated in the Malaysia Agreement 1963.

3 REVIEW OF STATE- FEDERAL RELATIONSHIP AND LAWS

SAPP will pursue a constitutional review of the Malaysian Federation to truly reflect the spirit and intent of the formation of Malaysia. This review will include:

• The High Court in Borneo shall be enhanced in authority and status;

• Transfer of legislative powers in Schedule 9 (Legislative Lists of the Federal Constitution) from the Federal List to Concurrent List or, where appropriate, to the State List relating to trade, commerce, industry, shipping, navigation, fisheries, communications and transport, energy and hydro power, census, registrations of births and deaths and marriages, labour, consent over granting of Malaysian citizenship in Sabah, private education, amongst others; review of the Cabotage Policy and the Money Lenders Act, together with the financial resources to assume and take back these functions of government.

• Schedule 10 Part V (Additional Sources of Revenues Assigned to States of Sabah and Sarawak) can be expanded to include oil and gas, customs duties and revenues originating from Sabah such as sales tax collected in Sabah.

4 SABAH NATIVE AFFAIRS

SAPP proclaims its support for the Native Court to be positioned as having the same judicial status as other Courts of our country.

A Department of "Legislation and Judiciary Native Affairs" (Jabatan Perundangan dan Kehakiman Anak Negeri) will be established in order to manage and administer the Sabah Native Courts system.

SAPP Government will revise and enhance the Native Interpretation Enactment towards asserting the status of native, Sino, and mixed marriages.

5. SABAH C0MMISSION OF INQUIRY ON ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS

Injustices have been done to the bona fide Malaysians by the presence of illegal immigrants who have been sharing our resources and facilities and also threatening our safety and security.

SAPP will pursue the setting up of a Sabah Commission of Inquiry on the illegal immigrants by invoking the Inquiry Commissions Enactment 1981 so that the sovereignty of the State and the rights of legitimate Sabahans are upheld.

6. ANTI-HOPPING LAW

To deter elected members of the legislative assembly and parliament from switching parties after being elected, SAPP shall pursue the anti-hop principle so that any elected member who changes party shall be required to resign his/her seat. The member may submit to the electors by re-contesting the seat concerned. This principle will require amendments to both the State and Federal constitutions which SAPP shall pursue.

7 SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

7.1 Unity and Social Justice

SAPP pledges to build a united multi-racial society, living in peace and harmony, upholding religious harmony and freedom consistent with the State and Federal constitutions.

SAPP pledges to:

• Reject racial and religious extremism;
• Eliminate the practice of racial politics and racial discrimination;
• Develop a civil society with dignity;
• Eliminate corruption and social injustice.

7.2 A Caring Society

Every Malaysian in Sabah in need is entitled to relief and social welfare regardless of ethnic background and religion.

SAPP pledges to Malaysians with Sabah IC:

• To provide assistance directly to the target groups to eliminate hardcore poverty;

• To provide assistance to the disabled, elderly, single parents and orphans;

• Sabah House in Kuala Lumpur will take on the additional responsibility of providing assistance and counselling to Sabahans working or studying or residing in Peninsular Malaysia.

7.3 RM300 Million For First Time House Buyer

Housing is a basic human need. Most people today cannot afford to buy and own a house especially the lower income group because the prices of houses have become so unaffordable.

SAPP pledges to:

• Fulfil the target of one Family one Home;

• Set up a revolving fund of RM300 million to assist first-time house buyers;

• Embark on a Squatter Free Campaign;

• Provide free housing for the hard-core poor;

• Grant lower land premium for developers building low-cost houses.
7.4 Education

Education is the fundamental requirement for the advancement of any society and the creation of a balanced human being, spiritually, physically and intellectually.

Under the ONE COUNTRY TWO SYSTEMS, SAPP Government pledges:

• To allow schools in Sabah to choose to adopt the PPSMI (teaching of Science and Mathematics in English);

• To address the problems relating to the service of the temporary teachers and the shortages of teachers in the vernacular schools;

• To intensify Yayasan Sabah¡¯s effort in bridging the social disparity by extending assistance in the form of providing hostels in the rural areas especially the remote villages;

• To disburse scholarships, bursaries and financial assistance for deposits offered by the State Government and also Yayasan Sabah fairly and justly to all qualified Malaysians with Sabah ICs;

• To provide poor and needy students especially from the remote villages with financial assistance by Yayasan Sabah;

• To commit to education development in the state and will allocate grants annually to all the vernacular and mission schools in Sabah;

• To give a second chance to the young school dropouts in Sabah and will formulate a comprehensive Adult Night School programme throughout the State. Allowances will be introduced to encourage lifelong learning and in order to empower youths otherwise engaged in informal sectors of the economy to break out of the handcuffs of illiteracy and the cycle of poverty.

7.5 Sabah Heritage

SAPP is committed to preserve and protect the cultures of all Sabahans in a fair and equitable manner whilst respecting cultures of all Malaysians.

Due to the special position and experience in Sabah, the SAPP State Government shall set up a panel on the history of Sabah to cast Sabah in the right perspective.

8 AMANAH PROGRESIF RAKYAT SABAH (APRS)

SAPP proposes the setting up of a peoples¡¯ welfare trust with the name AMANAH PROGRESIF RAKYAT SABAH (APRS). The source of funding for this trust will be from the oil and gas sector and other sources.

Citizens of Malaysia who have attained 21 years of age, registered voters residing in Sabah and hold "Sabah ICs" are eligible to receive the cash distribution as and when declared by the Board of Trustees.

9 BASIC INFRASTRUCTURE

Infrastructure and Public Utilities in Sabah are still far behind in terms of extent and maintenance.

SAPP will ensure that:

• Clean water and electricity can be enjoyed by people of all walks of life in Sabah;

• Prioritised construction, upgrading and maintenance of rural roads;

• Construction and maintenance of roads in the city is enhanced to ease traffic congestion;

• Public transportation system will be enhanced holistically especially in the main cities.

10 RETURN OF LABUAN

SAPP proposes that Labuan be returned to Sabah and governed as a Special Administrative Region (SAR):

• Labuan will be represented by three elected State Assemblymen at the Sabah State Legislative Assembly to complement the existing Member of Parliament in the federal legislature;

• The financial hub status of Labuan will be maintained and by being self administrative, will enhance its autonomy as an International Offshore Financial Centre (IOFC);

• 20% of total oil royalty received by Sabah will be given to Labuan for its self-governance;

• SAPP Government will pursue the construction of the Labuan Bridge linking Sabah mainland to the island;

11 ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY

Sabah is internationally famed for its natural endowment. It is crucial that we manage our natural resources in a sustainable manner.

SAPP will:

• Ensure that all logging and deforestation activities be carried out in a regulated manner and in accordance with International Tropical Timber Organisation (ITTO) standards;

• Develop alternative energy sources with emphasis on renewable energy;

• Enhance the culture of recycling by providing a comprehensive compliance framework backed by user-friendly operational systems;

• Encourage and support the use of green technologies.

12 YOUTH EMPOWERMENT

SAPP is dedicated to championing for the Malaysian youths in Sabah. The hopes and aspirations of the youth must be heard more by the policy makers of the day. As such, SAPP is committed to the following:

12.1 Youth Career and Motivation Programme (YCMP)

This proactive programme will be part of SAPP¡¯s priorities in eradicating youth unemployment within Sabah by moulding a disciplined, multi-skilled and productive force.

12.2 Sabah Youth Assembly (SYA)

Modelled after the United Kingdom Youth Parliament, this platform allows eligible young persons, between the ages of 15 to 25, to vote for their own YBM or Yang Berhormat Muda. The areas represented will be as per the current state electoral constituencies structure. A mechanism will be developed to harness the human resources available in youth organisations.

12.3 Sports Development

SAPP recognizes the importance of sports in nation-building. Towards this end, SAPP will support sports development with special attention on funding for sports and sport infrastructure while ensuring that grants reach all levels.

12.4 Arts and Culture for Youths

Recognising the emerging generation of creative talents in Sabah, the SAPP government shall support and set aside sufficient resources for the growth of a vibrant arts, culture and film-making sector in Sabah.


13 WOMEN EMPOWERMENT

SAPP recognizes the importance of women as a resource and acknowledges women’s rights to opportunities, access to resources, participation in the decision-making process and access to power. It is supportive of the advancement of women in all spheres of endeavours.

SAPP pledges to:

• Work towards raising the participation of women in key decision-making positions in the government and in politics;

• Enhance economic empowerment of women in the rural areas with focus on accessibility to resources;

• Ensure women who are head of households have access to housing and other financial assistance.

14 ICT DEVELOPMENTS

SAPP State Government will implement a program within the purview of the state authority to improve ICT infrastructure and narrow the digital divide through the following initiatives:
• Build up a Pan Borneo Information Highway;

• Provide free internet services for all schools in Sabah;

• Build an "Tuition Centre" which will provide free tuition services for all schools through the internet services.

15 SET UP A GAMING COMMISSION

Sabahans spend RM700 million annually on licensed gaming alone. This has spawned social problems and a serious drain on Sabah¡¯s economy.

SAPP pledges to set up a GAMING COMMISSION with the view of curbing and controlling the rampant gaming activities in Sabah.

The Gaming Commission shall research, review and recommend to the State and Federal governments the policies and enforcement needed to protect the people and the economy from the ill effects of gaming.
Counselling services shall be offered in collaboration with non-governmental organisations to help addicted gamblers discard the gambling malaise.
Special efforts shall be made with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission to deter and prevent internet gaming.

16 MANPOWER REQUIREMENTS AND LIVING WAGE

Productivity of the local work force has fallen way behind in comparison to other states and regions. This is mainly due to the failure of the educational system, manpower policies and the structure of our socio-economy over the last several decades.

SAPP believes minimum wage for local workers shall be productivity-linked and above the poverty line. Therefore, SAPP advocates for a living wage policy. We also recognise that foreign workers are still needed to sustain economic growth in Sabah but they need to be strictly regulated.
To achieve this balance, close and sincere consultations must be held among the government, the employee unions, employer associations, independent consultants and experts. The aim is to forge a vibrant, business-friendly economy whereby the employees are justly paid amidst conducive, working conditions.

17 FOREIGN CONSULATES

SAPP Government will push for the setting up of foreign consulates in Sabah such as the Philippine Consulate, the China Consulate and others.

Ignorance is never accepted as an excuse, thus I have compiled here all the core fundamental doctrine of SAPP.  It is important that Sabahans know exactly what SAPP stands for.  This is our future and the future of our children and their children are at stake.  We must support a truly genuined local political party that is dedicated and serious to make real meaningful change for the better in the affairs of our government.

As a reminder for Sabahans, keep your life simple and believe that under SAPP umbrella your humanity will be respected and your well-being protected.  As we fight for a better tomorrow, there will be many challenges along the way because the forces of evil are bent on causing havoc, but we must be steadfast in our commitment for a better tomorrow, for it is not just now that we are concern, but the tomorrow for our children's sake.  Let's take the high moral ground to guarantee that our next generation will be full of pride and dignity when they speak of their fathers and fore-fathers.  Although some leaders have let us down during the past 40 years; today, I can speak of our fore-fathers prior to 1963 with pride because they erected the “Batu Sumpah” in Keningau.  Because of their far-sightedness, we now have a stone to lean on as our foundation to protect our basic fundamental rights as people of the land.

Today, we must repeat this promise to guarantee brand new good governance; a truly proud “goverment of the people, by the people and for the people.”  Just repeat this in your mind, “Vote Local!  Vote SAPP!  Just say NO to party party Malaya.”  Please share this to all Sabahans who believe in a better tomorrow for Sabah.  With SAPP we are guaranteed 1963 Autonomy and Sabah IC as a brilliant solution to 40 years of miserable problems of PTI and PATAI.  All we need is your support.  Let's build a better tomorrow for all Sabahans.

By Wilfred Gaban is Director of PIPPA – Progressive Institute of Public Policy Analysis; President of Kadu Foundation – An NGO dedicated to the health and wellbeing of the Momogun people of Sabah.

See .... Part I , Part II & Part III