Upko feels sidelined in Labuan’s development issues
LABUAN: The United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation (UPKO) Labuan feels it is being sidelined in Labuan’s development issues, which was proven with the nonappointment of its members in the Labuan Corporation advisory council.
Its divisional chief, Lawrence Jomiji Kinsil said there should be a power-sharing concept among the Pakatan Harapan (PH) component parties and its members, as UPKO had long been in existence in the duty-free-island here for more than a decade.
“UPKO must not be sidelined in any issue pertaining to the island’s development issues, at least one of our members must be included in the advisory council,” he said in a statement yesterday.
He stressed that UPKO had played an important role in forming the government merging together with Warisan, PKR and DAP and liaised with PH in Sabah in the interest of the people in Sabah and Labuan, therefore, he opened his party had its part too.
Jomiji Kinsil said UPKO president Datuk Seri Madius Tangau had made a brave decision in joining the Parti Warisan Sabah and Pakatan Harapan to form the government purely to realise the people’s wishes in the GE-14 wanting to see the aspiration of the people to have a clean government.
“Rationally, UPKO Labuan should have been given a seat in the advisory council, at least, we are able to see the power sharing concept in the interest of multiracial unity including the Kadazandusun-Murut community in Labuan,” he said.
Jomiji Kinsil also felt pleased and thankful for the appointment of Associate Professor Dr Geoffrey Havey Tanakinjal (being a Kadazandusun- Murut academician) from Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) as one of the Labuan Corporation board members. The UPKO Labuan divisional chief stressed that in addition to the appointment of the academician sector, UPKO Labuan should be offered a representative to be one of the advisory council board too.
UPKO information chief Eric Rodriquez Sigutil also echoed and agreed that at least an UPKO member should be given an opportunity to be one of the advisory council members due to other Pakatan Harapan’s dominance in the line-up.
“Nevertheless, UPKO Labuan fully supports the Federal Territories Minister to monitor the performance of the advisory council and to see the development changes taking place within three years,” Rodriquez said.
Federal Territories Minister Khalid Abdul Samad during the presentation of the appointment of new LC chairman and members of advisory council on Oct 24 said there must be firm decision on certain proposals pertaining to improvements on ferry services, Labuan bridge project proposal, tourism and oil and gas industries and Halal hub development and one of two mega projects should be implemented to help revive the island’s economy.
“We reckon the appointment of the new chairman of LC and five members in the advisory council is welcomed by the Labuan folks and we strongly hope it will be run professionally,” he said. – Bernama