Sandakan MP too fresh to chair Special Council – Yong

SANDAKAN: It will be an impossible task for the newly elected Sandakan member of parliament, Vivian Wong, to chair a Special Council to return Sandakan to its old glory, said Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP), president Datuk Yong Teck Lee.

Three days before the by-election, DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang had announced the formation of the special council to be chaired by Vivian.

“As it would be an impossible task for an ordinary MP, and a fresh one at that, to chair a high-powered committee of ministers, civil servants and business and community leaders, DAP should do the proper thing by nominating the new MP as a minister in the Sabah cabinet or, better still, the federal cabinet.

“If DAP lets the MP remains as an ordinary MP, how does Lim Kit Siang expect her to perform the extremely heavy task of returning Sandakan to its old glory? How else does Lim expect a new, backbench MP to have the influence needed to convince other ministers, to mobilise government departments, to design new policies and to have the confidence of the business community?” said Yong in a statement yesterday.

With the conclusion of the byelection, he said the people now have a right to expect that the fantastic promises made by the ruling parties for the Sandakan people be fulfilled without any delay and excuse.

After the last general elections, he said the Pakatan Harapan had given the excuse that their 14th general election manifesto in 2018 could not be fulfilled because they did not expect to win last year’s general elections. But, in the case of the Sandakan by-election, Pakatan is already in government and have full knowledge of both the government’s resources and constraints.

Top in the minds of Sabahans is the Federal Finance Minister’s announcement of RM2.28 billion development funds for Sandakan four days before the nomination day. DAP had reinforced this promise with colourful campaign leaflets.

Yong said the Sabah economy, including that of Sandakan, would be able to take off if the Sabah government has more funds for development.Therefore, it is long overdue that the Finance Minister of Malaysia fulfill his promise to Sabahans to return to Sabah 50% of all tax revenues collected in Sabah and 20% of oil royalties.

He added the government had been given a second chance to fulfil its election promises such as reducing fuel prices. Economically, lower fuel prices will give back more money to the people who can spend the extra savings which can in turn stimulate the economy.