No need for Sabah to copy S’wak on rights
Liberal Democra c Party president Datuk Seri Panglima Teo Chee Kang yesterday welcomed Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s assurance that rights of Sabahans uninten onally taken by Kuala Lumpur will be returned to the state.
KOTA KINABALU: Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) president Datuk Seri Panglima Teo Chee Kang yesterday welcomed Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s assurance that rights of Sabahans unintentionally taken by Kuala Lumpur will be returned to the state.
Teo, who is also Minister of Special Tasks and chairman of the State Rights Committee, said Najib had also made it clear that he shared Sabahans’ sentiments with regard to Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
“Such unequivocal statement of the Prime Minister shows that the federal government is committed to resolve all issues pertaining to MA63 with Sabah,” he said in a press statement yesterday.
Teo said Sabah did not have to copy Sarawak in the pursuit for restoration of our state rights and devolution of more powers to the state.
“We have our own ways of dealing with Kuala Lumpur, which can be more effective and result oriented.
“Therefore, there is no need to pass a resolution in the State Legislative Assembly as done by our neighbour state, for doing so will not add any strength to the legal basis of our claims, as our substantive rights are already clearly embedded in the Federal Constitution.
“As the foundation of the Federation of Malaysia, MA63 and the Inter Governmental Report shall continue to be relevant and useful reference when addressing issues of federal-state relations,” he said.
Pakatan Harapan (PH) Sabah chairman Christina Liew, however, claimed that the promise by the Prime Minister to return the rights belonging to Sabah under the MA63 is just another ‘election gimmick’ to fish for votes.
“Sabah rights issues includes Borneonisation of the state civil service, the devolution of powers to Sabah and the incorporation of the historical facts on the formation of Malaysia in the school history books are the exact issues which had been raised by PKR/PH over the past eight years, with no reply from the Sabah Umno/BN, including PBS.
“But now that the election is at the corner, the same issues suddenly surfaced at the PBS party congress and the Prime Minister conveniently seized the opportunity to make another round of ‘sweet promises’ to fulfill all the issues that had been raised,” said Liew.
She was responding to Najib’s remarks while speaking at the PBS congress on Saturday. The Prime Minster said that it was never the intention of the Federal Government to take away the rights of Sabah and Sarawak as provided under the MA63, and promised to return them to the two states.
“This is obviously an election promises. Anyone can see that,” said Liew who is also Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Sabah chairman.
She also acknowledged that PBS president Tan Sri Pairin Kitingan had adopted Sabah PH’s proposal for the appointment of a Deputy Prime Minister from Sabah and Sarawak, which was responded positively by the PM in the PBS congress.
“Sabah and Sarawak are partners in forming Malaysia. We should be entitled to the opportunity to be represented, a second Deputy Prime Minister from Sabah Sarawak is a good starting point.”
“While we recognize all these ‘issues and promises’ were part of election gimmicks by BN/Umno in preparation for the coming 14th election, it goes to show that what we in PH Sabah promised to do is exactly what the people of Sabah want,” she pointed out.
While noting that PBS raising of all the pertinent issues during its delegates conference showed that the party realized what the people of Sabah want, Liew nonetheless cautioned that history and track records had proven that not all promises made by the Umno/BN Federal leaders to the people of Sabah will be honored.
“The Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) on the illegal immigrants issue is a glaring example of promise made but nonfulfilled until this day, and this was conveniently forgotten by the technical working committee headed by Tan Sri Pairin. Tan Sri Pairin should have reminded the Prime Minster during the PBS congress.
“He should ask the PM what is the decision of the government on the RCI reports. The people of Sabah at large are still waiting for the decision by the federal government. Since the Prime Minister had made so many sweet promises during his last visit to Sabah, why not use the opportunity to demand a decision from him on the RCI issue”.