BN urged to stop lip service, ‘wayang’

KOTA KINABALU: Barisan Nasional should put a halt to lip service and the ‘wayang’ when it comes to reinstating Sabah’s rights, said DAP Sabah chairman Stephen Wong Tien Fatt.

Stephen, who is also Sandakan member of parliament, said he had put forth a question this week in Parliament asking for the federal government’s actions following the Sabah government’s report on the restoration of state rights and devolution of powers under the Malaysian Agreement 1963 (MA63).

Minister in the Prime Minister Department, Datuk Sri Azalina Othman, responded by saying the empowerment of Sabah and Sarawak will be made in stages according to the Federal Constitution without involving legislative implications requiring amendments to the constitution.

Azalina elaborated that on May 11 last year, the cabinet ministers had also agreed to the devolution of authority to the Sabah and Sarawak governments.

She added that two committees involving Sabah and Sarawak government representatives had been formed to address this issue and discussions are still in progress on the ongoing matter.

“I don’t agree to do all this ‘wayang-wayang’ being played out,” said the frustrated Stephen.

“What for? All these things are lip service because the election is coming,” he added at a press conference here yesterday.

Stephen said many of the Sabah issues including the state illegal immigrant issues had been dealt with the formation of committees such as the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) on illegal immigrants in Sabah.

However, no real action had been taken and the results of the reports had yet to be revealed to the awaiting people in the state after three years of promises.

“What is the problem? Barisan Nasional is the government, you want to devolve the power you can do it anytime. In the Parliament, if you want to change the law, the opposition will surely support this motion,” he said.

“I call for the state government and our MPs from Barisan Nasional to please do something for Sabah. It is the time for us to really fight.

“We can see that in 1970, we lost our (power on) health and education to federal, in 1976 we lost our status as one of the three partners, in 1985 we lost our oil revenue and only get 5%, and in 1994 we lost our tourism rights. Now even the tour guide permit has to be issued by the federal,” explained Stephen.

The Sandakan MP asserted that the Barisan Nasional coalition MPs’ lack of action had been historically proven.

“All these things, I think, are uncalled for and not fair. So I hope our parliament members, in due course, will do something for Sabahans now although we have historical record that all the time these Barisan Nasional alliances in Sabah do not fight for the rights,” said Stephen.

“That is why our rights have been taken away one after the other,” he added.