Oleh Datuk Yong Teck Lee, Presiden SAPP
Ahli Parlimen Labuan secara tiba-tiba mula menyedari hakikat bahawa Labuan akan menjadi lebih baik sebagai sebahagian daripada Sabah daripada terus menjadi wilayah persekutuan.
Sebenarnya, sekarang adalah masa yang tepat untuk memulakan proses mengembalikan Labuan ke Sabah kerana iklim politik di negara ini dilihat kondusif untuk langkah tersebut.
English Version inset
Setelah 36 tahun menjadi Wilayah Persekutuan, telah menjadi jelas bahawa satu-satunya jalan penyelesaian jangka panjang bagi masalah Labuan adalah kembali ke Sabah. Labuan tidak dapat terus mengharap kerajaan persekutuan akan mengalirkan sejumlah besar dana untuk memastikan Labuan tetap bertahan. Labuan semakin menjadi beban kewangan yang berat bagi kerajaan persekutuan yang mempunyai tanggungjawab kewangannya sendiri.
English Version inset
Setelah 36 tahun menjadi Wilayah Persekutuan, telah menjadi jelas bahawa satu-satunya jalan penyelesaian jangka panjang bagi masalah Labuan adalah kembali ke Sabah. Labuan tidak dapat terus mengharap kerajaan persekutuan akan mengalirkan sejumlah besar dana untuk memastikan Labuan tetap bertahan. Labuan semakin menjadi beban kewangan yang berat bagi kerajaan persekutuan yang mempunyai tanggungjawab kewangannya sendiri.
Bagaimanapun, Labuan hanya mempunyai satu MP. Sekiranya Labuan kembali ke Sabah, Labuan akan mendapatkan dua hingga tiga orang ADUN selain MP.
Proses pengembalian Labuan ke Sabah boleh dimulakan dengan keputusan secara prinsip antara pemimpin Kerajaan Persekutuan dan Negeri Sabah. Jawatankuasa teknikal boleh dibentuk untuk memperincikan proses penyerahan. Ini akan diikuti oleh kabinet berkenaan yang memberikan persetujuannya sebelum menyerahkannya kepada Majlis Raja-Raja. Langkah politik terakhir adalah pindaan terhadap perlembagaan persekutuan dan negeri Sabah untuk kembali ke sempadan asal. Dengan kesungguhan kehendak politik, keseluruhan proses hanya akan memakan masa dua tahun.
Setelah Labuan kembali ke Sabah, tidak akan timbul masalah imigresen dari Labuan ke daratan Sabah kerana Labuan dan Sabah akan kembali ke status lama sebagai satu zon imigresen di bawah Akta Imigresen 1959/63. Oleh itu, perjalanan antara Labuan dan Sabah akan menjadi lebih mudah. Pada masa ini, Sabah harus mengekalkan kawalan imigresen dengan Labuan kerana perjalanan dari bahagian lain Malaysia ke Labuan tidak dikenakan kawalan imigresen. Dalam tempoh Perintah Kawalan Pergerakan semasa, bahkan perjalanan antara Sabah dan Labuan dianggap sebagai antara negeri.
Labuan, yang merupakan pulau kecil dengan banyak aset yang belum dikembangkan, akan mendapat banyak manfaat dengan digabungkan sebagai sebahagian daripada pembangunan daratan Sabah yang menghubungkan ke Lebuhraya Pan Borneo dengan akses mudah ke Sarawak dan Brunei. Lapangan terbang antarabangsa Labuan akan menjadi lebih menguntungkan. Perjalanan antarabangsa melalui Labuan akan membawa manfaat ekonomi baru ke Pulau tersebut.
Saya tidak akan mengungkit kepada banyak janji yang terperinci yang dibuat ketika Labuan di federalisasikan pada tahun 1984. Masa akan datang, Labuan akan mendapat keuntungan dari pembinaan jambatan Labuan yang dicadangkan, yang rancangannya dibatalkan oleh kerajaan Pakatan Harapan. Pelantikan bekas Ahli Parlimen dari Semenanjung Malaysia baru-baru ini untuk menjadi Pengerusi Lembaga Pelabuhan Labuan adalah satu lagi contoh kegagalan mengenali perasaan dan sentimen orang Labuan. Sekiranya kriteria pelantikan mesti merupakan seorang bekas MP, maka ada ramai bekas anggota parlimen di Labuan.
English Version ---------------------
Yong: Return of Labuan to Sabah is a matter of time because it is the only long term solution to Labuan’s woes
The MP for Labuan has suddenly awakened to the reality that Labuan will be better off as part of Sabah rather than remain a federal territory.
In fact, now is the right time to start the process of returning Labuan to Sabah because the political climate in the nation is conducive for such a move. After 36 years as a Federal Territory, it has become abundantly clear that the only long term solution to Labuan’s woes is to return to Sabah. Labuan cannot continue to hope that the federal government will pour huge amounts of funds to keep Labuan afloat. Labuan is increasingly becoming a heavy financial burden on the federal government which has its own share of financial obligations. Labuan, after all, has only one MP. If Labuan were to return to Sabah, Labuan would get two to three assembly persons in addition to the MP.
The process of returning of Labuan to Sabah can begin with a decision in principle between the leaders of the Federal and the Sabah State governments. Technical committees can be set up to detail the handing over process. This will be followed by the respective cabinets giving its approval before submitting the same to the Conference of Rulers. The final political step will be an amendment to the federal and Sabah state constitutions to return to the old boundaries. With political will, the whole process will take only two years.
Upon Labuan’s return to Sabah, there will be no issue of immigration from Labuan to mainland Sabah as Labuan and Sabah will return to its old status as one immigration zone under the Immigration Act 1959/63. Hence, travelling between Labuan and Sabah will become more convenient. At the moment, Sabah has to maintain immigration control with Labuan because travel from other parts of Malaysia into Labuan is not subject to immigration control. During the current Movement Control Order period, travel between Sabah and Labuan was even treated as inter-state.
Labuan, which is a small island with many undeveloped assets, will greatly benefit by being incorporated as part of the Sabah mainland development that connects to the Pan Borneo Highway with easy access to Sarawak and Brunei. Labuan’s international airport will become more profitable. International travel via Labuan will bring new economic benefits to the Island.
I will not go into the many elaborate promises made when Labuan was federalised in 1984. Looking ahead, Labuan will benefit from the building of the proposed Labuan bridge, the planning of which was cancelled by the federal Pakatan government. The recent appointment of an ex-MP from Peninsula Malaysia to become the Chairman of the Labuan Port is another example of failing to recognise the feelings and sentiments of Labuan people. If the appointee has to be an ex-MP, there are ample for members of parliament at Labuan.
Datuk Yong Teck Lee
SAPP President
English Version ---------------------
Yong: Return of Labuan to Sabah is a matter of time because it is the only long term solution to Labuan’s woes
The MP for Labuan has suddenly awakened to the reality that Labuan will be better off as part of Sabah rather than remain a federal territory.
In fact, now is the right time to start the process of returning Labuan to Sabah because the political climate in the nation is conducive for such a move. After 36 years as a Federal Territory, it has become abundantly clear that the only long term solution to Labuan’s woes is to return to Sabah. Labuan cannot continue to hope that the federal government will pour huge amounts of funds to keep Labuan afloat. Labuan is increasingly becoming a heavy financial burden on the federal government which has its own share of financial obligations. Labuan, after all, has only one MP. If Labuan were to return to Sabah, Labuan would get two to three assembly persons in addition to the MP.
The process of returning of Labuan to Sabah can begin with a decision in principle between the leaders of the Federal and the Sabah State governments. Technical committees can be set up to detail the handing over process. This will be followed by the respective cabinets giving its approval before submitting the same to the Conference of Rulers. The final political step will be an amendment to the federal and Sabah state constitutions to return to the old boundaries. With political will, the whole process will take only two years.
Upon Labuan’s return to Sabah, there will be no issue of immigration from Labuan to mainland Sabah as Labuan and Sabah will return to its old status as one immigration zone under the Immigration Act 1959/63. Hence, travelling between Labuan and Sabah will become more convenient. At the moment, Sabah has to maintain immigration control with Labuan because travel from other parts of Malaysia into Labuan is not subject to immigration control. During the current Movement Control Order period, travel between Sabah and Labuan was even treated as inter-state.
Labuan, which is a small island with many undeveloped assets, will greatly benefit by being incorporated as part of the Sabah mainland development that connects to the Pan Borneo Highway with easy access to Sarawak and Brunei. Labuan’s international airport will become more profitable. International travel via Labuan will bring new economic benefits to the Island.
I will not go into the many elaborate promises made when Labuan was federalised in 1984. Looking ahead, Labuan will benefit from the building of the proposed Labuan bridge, the planning of which was cancelled by the federal Pakatan government. The recent appointment of an ex-MP from Peninsula Malaysia to become the Chairman of the Labuan Port is another example of failing to recognise the feelings and sentiments of Labuan people. If the appointee has to be an ex-MP, there are ample for members of parliament at Labuan.
Datuk Yong Teck Lee
SAPP President
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