Population growth, live births do not tally – Upko
KOTA KINABALU: United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation (Upko) has questioned why the rampant population growth of Sabah did not tally with the number of live births.
Its president, Datuk Seri Wilfred Madius Tangau said based on previous censuses, the population of Sabah had been growing exponentially and that this suspicious growth did not sit well with Upko.
“Let me give an example … we record censuses every ten years ... 1970, 1980, 1990, 2000 and 2010. (Based on the censuses), we can see that there has been an unbelievable population growth and if we look at the number of live births, we can see that there is a big difference.
“That is why we cannot accept these statistics,” Tangau told reporters after chairing his first Upko supreme council meeting since officially being elected as party president.
He revealed that Upko had been studying the matter and found the rampant population growth as something that was puzzling; that is why, Tangau has reckoned that “something has happened”.
“The issue of citizenship is very important for us (Upko). We are suspicious with the data concerning the population of Sabah. We can not accept that: that is why Upko has fought and continued to demand for the identification cards in Sabah to be revoked.
“We have kept repeating this; we will not stop talking until the statistics of the Sabah population can be done authentically,” Tangau, who is also Deputy Chief Minister cum Trade and Industry Minister, said.
When reporters asked him to reveal the exact figures, Tangau said he did not have the figures with him (during the press conference) and that he would be bringing up the matter in his speech at the next parliamentary sitting.
Despite not being represented in the recently formed Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) special cabinet committee, Tangau said it would not be an issue. What is important for Upko is for the committee to consider all the proposals (on MA63) that had been submitted by Upko.
Tangau also welcomed the proposals in the recent mid-term review of the 11th Malaysia Plan, especially on its emphasis on the practice of separation of powers (between the executive, judiciary and legislative) in the country.
Tangau said the separation of powers was vital as it provided check and balance for all the aforementioned government units.
He was also pleased to see that more focus and priority will be given to the native communities of Sabah ... especially in the aspect of entrepreneurship.
However, he said the proposal must be carried out accordingly, unlike what had happened in the 8th Malaysia Plan.
The only way this proposal could be implemented accordingly is if the state was to be given autonomy.
Separately, Tangau disclosed that Upko had recently submitted memorandums to Prime Minister Tun Mahathir Mohamad at the party's recent meeting with Mahathir.
These memorandums had included Upko's requests on the review of MA63 and Upko's proposal to revoke all identification cards in the state.
Tangau said Upko had spent more than half a million to study the matter, even before the initiation of the Royal Commission Inquiry (RCI).