Act 355: Tangau criticised for being ‘ignorant’

PENAMPANG: Moyog assemblyman Terence Siambun has criticised Upko acting president Datuk Seri Madius Tangau for being “ignorant” of whether the Act 355 had been extended by Parliament to Sabah in 1989.

Terence said Tangau’s statement showed that Upko was desperate to distance itself from its own previous leaders who failed to protect the soverignity of MA63.

“Obviously he (Tangau) wants to put all the blame on the then BN/PBS Government of 1989 as to why the Act 355 was extended to cover Sabah.

“Perhaps he may have forgotten that in 1989, Bernard Dompok was the BN Member of Parliament for Penampang (as well as the BN assemblyman for Moyog and was one of the key individuals in the then BN/PBS Government at that material time.

“I wish to remind Sabahans that PBS was a BN component party between 1986 and 1990.

“So, Tangau should have asked Dompok why the Act 355 was extended to Sabah, whether he (Dompok) had debated against it in 1989 since he was a BN backbencer and whether the then BN/PBS Government of 1989 had ratified it or not,” Siambun said.

He said he was amazed to see some BN political leaders talking at length about MA63 when they themselves had contributed to the erosion of the State’s rights in the first place.

“This Act 355 is a clear example of the erosion which is now being used by the BN/PAS to impose laws against the spirit of the Federation.

“How did the Act 355 manage to get itself extended into Sabah if not for the then State BN leaders of 1989 themselves?” he asked.