Budget 2014 A Huge Disappointment From Sabah Perspective – Dr. Jeffrey

Kota Kinabalu: “The Budget 2014 must have been a huge disappointment to Tan Sri Pairin, PBS and many others in Sabah and clearly demonstrates the continuing mindset of the Prime Minister and his federal government,” said Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan, STAR Sabah Chief in commenting on the Budget announcement.

The PM himself had whipped up expectations of  Sabahans especially the PBS delegates at their general assembly by asking  Sabahans to wait for Friday’s Budget announcement.

On a national level, the PM cum Finance Minister missed the opportunity to put the national economy on a stronger footing by announcing a balanced Budget or a reduction of the operating expenditure of RM217.7 billion while only RM46.5 billion was for development or to put in place concrete plans to boost the disposable incomes of the lower income groups.   

All three proposals would have brought about a better international credit rating and at the same time increase the well-being of the people especially the lower income groups.

Giving of handouts is not the right approach and there is no need to fish for votes for election season is over.  Such handouts will only lead to bigger expectations and eventually greater dependency,  especially among the rural poor. The government should have invested more money in boosting up the income earning capacity of the poor.

Giving of RM75 million in water tanks is no way to treat the rural voters who voted to retain the Umno/BN federal government.   If not for the 25 BN MPs in Sarawak, the Budget would have been presented by a different Finance Minister.

It would have been better to spend RM500 million on 20 water treatment plants of RM25 million each to provide clean piped water in rural Sarawak given the many big dams there.

Instead, some of the items will bring about an instantaneous price increase including withdrawal of sugar subsidies.  What was more laughable was the reason bordering on absurdity that the subsidy cut was required to reduce diabetes in Malaysians.   It is an undisputed medical fact that diabetes is not caused by sugar alone and a lower sugar intake alone does not reduce the diabetic rate. 

Back to Sabah, stop-gap measures is not going to resolve the systemic problems of higher costs of living and high unemployment.

An announcement of the much called for and much awaited abolishment of cabotage policy would have created a bigger impact in reduction of costs compared to the RM331 million to continue the price uniformity programme and subsidies including transport cost and RM30 million for an additional 60 Kedai Rakyat 1Malaysia (KR1M) to help reduce the prices of daily necessities.

Both the federal and Sabah governments should undertake a study on the impact of the KRIM in Sabah as there are complaints that the KRIM has affected the small sundry and provision shops in Sabah and many will eventually close down.

An allocation of RM2 to RM3 billion development expenditure for Sabah and Sarawak is a slap on the status of the equal partnership of Sabah and Sarawak in Malaysia.    

Part of this allocation, RM500 million is for upgrading of the Pan Borneo Highway.    This is a disgrace and totally unacceptable.   For the record, RM400 million was announced for the 33km. Sibu-Kapit road.   How far can RM500 million do for the Pan Borneo Highway?

Recently, the Sabah JKR Director lamented that due to the backlog or disregard of Sabah’s requests, RM2 billion was needed for urgent road repairs in Sabah and another RM700 million was needed to urgently repair and upgrade 65 bridges in Sabah.   Yet, there is not even a mention of any allocation in Budget 2014 and not the right way to treat Sabah which contributed 22 out of 25 MPs that help kept the Umno/BN federal government in power.

As for the GST, both the federal and Sabah governments need to re-assess the imposition of GST in Sabah. If the federal government can have implement 1-country 2-laws on the “Allah” issue which indirectly is a recognition of the 1-Country 2-System, the federal government can exempt Sabah and Sarawak from the GST scheduled in 2015, at least for 3-5 years

Whilst the PM continue to disregard the importance of Sabah and Sarawak and committing political hara-kiri in the process, it is high time for the Sabah and Sarawak governments to re-assess their support of the Umno/BN federal government.   

Perhaps, a withdrawal of support and change of the federal government may bring about a better 2015 Budget for Sabah and Sarawak and a shot in the arm for both local economies and a better outlook and way of life for Sabahans and Sarawakians.

Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan

Chairman, STAR Sabah

27 October 2013

Allah Issue: Beginning of the End of Malaysia Unless …- Jeffrey

Kota Kinabalu:    “It‘s not the Court of Appeal ruling but the non-action and continued policies of the Umno/BN rulingveness and reconciliation” said Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan, STAR Sabah Chief in response to the Court decision to ban the The Herald from referring and using “Allah”.

The PM and his federal government needs to be reminded that the issue started with the then Home Minister in banning the reference to Allah arising from the Minister’s discretionary powers under the Printing Presses and Publications Act, 1984.   It was an unequivocal act of the ruling Umno/BN government.

From there, the downward spiral of race relations quickened with Umno’s political strategy to play the “race and religion” card to regain its Malay heartlands.   It shook the very foundation of the official“Malaysia – Truly Asia” and the PM’s own “1-Malaysia” rhetoric and hollow slogan.  

It is pretty obvious that the PM and his Umno-led federal government never meant to honour the “1-Malaysia” theme which is now discarded in favour of “Endless Possibilities”.   There is no other possibility other than a most probable break-up of Malaysia if the race and religion division is allowed to continue.

The Umno/BN federal government has forgotten that they are the government for all Malaysians and not only the Malays or only in the Peninsula.   They have forgotten that it is not the Federation of Malaya that they are ruling but the Federation of Malaysia where the founding fathers of Sabah and Sarawak were promised religious freedom.   

Religious freedom was so important that the natives in the interiors of Sabah erected a Stone Monument, known today as the Batu Sumpah in Keningau, to etch into perpetuity such freedom.  If not for these promises, there is no Malaysia today.

The use of “Allah” in the Borneo States, or even in neighbouring countries, pre-date the formation of the Federation of Malaya and the Federation of Malaysia.   There were no turmoil or any threat of racial disruption.   

On the contrary, in Sabah and Sarawak, it was a tranquillity of racial and religious harmony without the rhetoric of “1-Malaysia”.   There was no need for a Muslim-Malay NGO to declare that “Christians are our brothers and sisters” because in true life in Sabah and Sarawak, brothers and sisters, fathers and mothers, husbands and wives were Christians and Muslims and other religions.

The Umno/BN federal government have also forgotten that they are mere passers-by and trustees in their reign of government but think themselves so high and mighty to decide on banning and purportedly seeking exclusivity of the use when nowhere else in the world is any government claiming as such.

The rest of the BN component parties particularly those from Sabah and Sarawak are equally to be blamed for the quagmire and quicksand that they are now finding themselves to be in.   Some are quietly contemplating leaving the BN fold but are fearful not for their parties but for themselves with the police, anti-corruption, special branch,income tax, waiting to take the next flight out to arrest them.

The situation now calls for true leadership of the PM and the Umno-led federal government and politics of inclusiveness and reconciliation for all Malaysians.    The PM may be reluctant to act because of the pending Umno elections but he needs to remember that the country he is leading today is the Federation of Malaysia not the Islamic Federation of Malaysia.  

Perhaps, the PM should consider the calls of the Muslim-based NGO that the Malaysian Christian community can choose to move to any country if they cannot bear to accept the sovereignty of Islam.

Lest it be forgotten, no Christian Malaysian is questioning or challenging that Islam is the official religion of the Federation.  It is the treatment of the minority faiths and the actions and policies of the ruling government that is the root cause of marginalization and disenfranchisement.  In Sabah, it is sad that the natives are being pitted against each other due to differences in religion when no such problems arise.

If the PM accepts the reasoning of the Muslim NGO, it is time to start dis-engagement talks and allow Sabah and Sarawak to depart Malaysia and the Peninsula can revert back to Persekutuan Tanah Melayu by itself.   There is no point in retaining Sabah and Sarawak within the Federation of Malaysia when the ultra-Malays in Malaya keep trying to break it up and without any appropriate response or with the silent acquiescence from the federal government.

Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan

Chairman, STAR Sabah

15 October 2013

Be Proud and Stand United as Sabahans - Dr. Jeffrey

Kota Kinabalu: “The call by the Sabah Mufti to hasten the Malaynization of Muslim natives in Sabah is actually a blessing in disguise and an eye opener for Sabahans that they are being used and used over and over by the federal/Malaya authorities to divide and rule the people of Sabah and maintain the colonial regime of Malaya over Sabah” said Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan, Chairman of STAR SABAH in weighing in on the issue of Malaynization of Sabahans.

“We need to look beyond the Mufti who while voicing his personal opinion was actually giving a reflection of the divide and rule policy of the federal racist regime and splitting further the already disunited Sabahans” added Dr. Jeffrey.

Sabahans are already being divided into Muslims and non-Muslims and being pitted against one another by the ruling Umno/BN government. No matter how or what the Chief Minister or the federal authorities denies it, it does not mean that the secret and covert operations to Malaynize and Islamize the natives of Sabah does not exist.  It exists in reality to the extent natives are recorded as Muslims and Malays in their Mykads although they are not and the authorities make it difficult to rectify such “mistakes”. 

In reality, Sabah has always been peaceful and harmonious with diverse multi-ethnic and multi-religious groups to the extent in many families, they would have multi-religious members.

The Malaynization call gives a window of opportunity for all Sabahans to stand-back and re-assess the divide and rule policies of the federal authorities.

All Sabahans need to take a united stand and assert ourselves and adopt “PROUD TO BE A SABAHAN” regardless of our ethnicity, race or religion” urged Dr. Jeffrey.   

We cannot allow Sabahans to be divided by ethnicity, race and religion and be used as mere pawns in the political power game by the Umno/BN regime so that they can continue to colonize and control Sabah. And at the same time the Umno/BN regime will continue to rape and plunder Sabah’s riches and wealth to finance Malaya’s development at the expense of Sabahans.

“Whether we are Bajau, Suluk, Dusun, Bisaya, Kedayan,Kadazan, Murut, Rungus, Sungei, Brunei,Chinese, Indian, Pakistani or the rest of the 32 plus ethnic groupings, we are all, first and foremost, Sabahans” stressed Dr. Jeffrey.

In this regard, Sabah has prevailed where Malaysia or 1-Malaysia has failed.Sabahans have always been one big and close family. We should not allow the importation of Malayan culture and policies to destroy the very fabric of harmonious multi-ethnic and multi-religious Sabah.

In the Peninsula, instead of nation-building, the Umno/Malay leaders are promoting racism and religious division and racial bigotry. Instead of promoting a Malaysian identity, everyone there is divided into Malay, Chinese, Indian or others. Sabahans are then caught and placed in the humiliating “Others” or “Lain-lain” category.

The term “Malay” is only a constitutional definition in the federal constitution and should not be used to eliminate the multi-ethnic groups in Sabah. An Indian or Pakistani Muslim may be constitutional Malay, he will always be an Indian or Pakistani Muslim by race and can be seen when they call themselves Malays but set up their own Indian Muslim associations.  Similarly, a Bajau or Dusun Muslim will not lose their race dignity and identity.

In Sabah, we must unite and maintain our common identity as SABAHANS and be proud to be one. We, Sabahans have every right to be proud of our Sabahans’ identity, language and culture. 

Sabah is the third biggest palm oil producer in the world, the second biggest oil and gas producer in Malaysia, the second biggest contributor to the federal treasury, yet Sabahans are the poorest Malaysians.

If we allow ourselves to be further divided and continue to be governed as a colony and 12th subservient State by UMNO/Malaya and if we fail to take charge of our own destiny and future and to control and manage our own resources, there is little hope in the future for all Sabahans” added Dr. Jeffrey.

Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan

Chairman

STAR Sabah

13 October 2013

Legal and Moral Duty to Regain Sabah’s Oil - Dr. Jeffrey

Kota Kinabalu:    “It is now clear as daylight that it’s the legal duty and moral obligation of the Sabah government and every Sabah MP to take immediate steps and by all available means to regain Sabah’s oil ownership” said Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan, STAR Sabah Chief after attending the Public Debate between Tan Sri Harris Salleh and Datuk Seri Panglima Yong Teck Lee held at the Sabah Gold and Country Club on Friday.

The “explanation” of Harris that he had no choice but to sign the 1976 Oil Agreement with Petronas and receive 5% cash payment for Sabah’s oil as the federal government had stated that Sabah’s oil found off-shore belonged to the federal government and signing and getting 5% was better than getting nothing at all. 

Harris also stated that it was the federal government who prepared the Oil Agreement and he was under pressure to sign the Oil Agreement, partly due to rescue the Sabah government which was left with RM2 million in its kitty.

His story confirms and re-affirms the recent revelations by Tan Sri Majid Khan of the “lies” by the federal leaders in the 1970s that oil found off-shore Sabah belonged to the federal governmentand that it was up to the present-daySabahans to take the matter to court to determine the truthfulness and legitimacy of the federal statement.

Harris’ statement was made in the presence of the 300-strong crowd and the team of Special Branch officers who had recorded everything diligently for their Malayan political leaders. 

It is very apparent that the federal leaders’ assertion that Sabah’s oil found off-shore belonged to the federal government is false.  Nothing is further from the truth.  

Since 1954 the international boundary of Sabah (North Borneo then) was extended to include the area of the continental shelf which remained unchanged until Malaysia Day on 16.09.1963.Sabah’s international boundary is acknowledged in Article 1(3) of the Federal Constitution which provides that:-

1. (3) Subject to Clause (4), the territories of each of the Statesmentioned in Clause (2) are the territories comprised thereinimmediately before Malaysia Day.

This Sabah international boundary is even recognized today in the government official website:http://www.townplanning.sabah.gov.my/iczm/Reports/Coastal.

Pursuant to Section 24 of the Sabah Land Ordinance (Cap. 68), it is also clear as daylight that from December 1930, the oil and gas found on-shore or off-shore of Sabah belonged to Sabah.  

“Anyone that does not accept this fact and truth ought to take lessons in the law” stressed Dr. Jeffrey.

“Whatever mistakes of the past should be learnt and steps should be taken to rectify the past mistakes” advised Dr. Jeffrey.

In owning up to Sabah’s predicament on Sabah’s oil, Harris unequivocally advised that it was up to the Sabah lawmakers to make amends and raise the issue in Parliament to re-claim Sabah’s oil and not behave like past and present lawmakers who would put up both hands to support the federal government.   Harris further added that he was certain that if the matter was raised and reasonable, the federal government would agree to Sabah’s demands.

The idea was supported whole-heartedly by Datuk Yong Teck Lee, another former Chief Minister.  Datuk Yong then advised that due to the changes of the times and circumstances, the federal government was at its weakest and Sabah lawmakers as “kingmakers” should leverage on the thisweakness and use the “window of opportunity” to demand for Sabah’s oil and other rights.

For the future and benefit of each and every Sabahan, it has now become the legal duty and moral obligation of the Sabah government and each and every Sabah MP to take every available step to regain Sabah’s oil and gas ownership.   

The Sabah government needs to raise with the federal government the issue of Petronas returning Sabah’s oil and gas ownership and the Sabah MPs need to raise the matter in Parliament.   If they wish to take it further, they should get the Petronas Twin Towers renamed as the PETRONAS SABAH SARAWAK TWIN TOWERS.  

“There is no two ways about it, regain Sabah’s oil or condemn Sabah’s future generations to unwarranted poverty due to the oil revenues being siphoned off to Petronas and the federal government” concluded Dr. Jeffrey.

Datuk Dr.Jeffrey Kitingan

Chairman, STAR Sabah

12 October 2013

Empower Sabah Natives, Implement Article 41 Sabah Constitution - Jeffrey

Kota Kinabalu:  “The Federal and Sabah governments are trampling the Sabah Constitution and not honouring native rights and privileges by wrongly enforcing bumiputra policies in Sabah” said Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan, STAR Sabah Chief, in response to announcements by the DPM and Chief Minister on Sabah bumiputra empowerment.

Not all bumiputra are natives although all natives are necessarily bumiputra. Similarly, not all Malays are natives.  However, non-Muslim bumiputra in Sabah lose everything when the governments divide the Sabah and Sarawak bumiputra into “bumiputra Islam” and “bumiputra bukan Islam” and the former get better treatment and privileges compared to the latter.

“Why then this classification and continuing to segregate the people in Sabah and ignoring the natives?” asked Dr. Jeffrey.

Both governments need to do away with the classification of bumiputrain Sabah and abolish the Sabah bumiputra empowerment program and policies and officially adopt the use of the term “natives” and implement Sabah native empowerment as provided under Article 41 of the Constitution of Sabah. 

Article 41 states:-

41. Safeguarding position of Natives. 

(1) It shall be the responsibility of the Yang di-Pertua Negeri to safeguard the special position of the Natives and the legitimate interests of other communities in accordance with the provisions of this Article.

(2) The Yang di-Pertua Negeri shall exercise his functions under this Constitution and under State Law in such manner as may be necessary to safeguard the special position of the Natives, and to ensure such degree of participation by Natives as he may deem reasonable in the public service of the State, and in the receipt of scholarships, exhibitions and other similar educational or training privileges or special facilities given or accorded by or with the approval of the State Government and, when any permit or licence for the operation of any trade or business is required by State Law, then, subject to the provisions of that law and this Article, in such trade or business.

Officially and unofficially, it cannot be denied that the Sabah natives lag behind in practically everything and everyone else and form the majority of the poorest of the poor.

And we are not talking of KDMs alone but all the 31 or so ethnic tribes in Sabah, be they be Bajau, Suluk, Iranun, Kedayan, Rungus, Bisaya, Brunei, Ubian, Lundayeh, Kagayan, Simonol, Sibutu, Tatana, Sungei,Lotud,Gana,Kimaragang, Sunsugon, Tambanuo,and the like.

The federal/Malayan leaders may have a hidden agenda to marginalize and disenfranchise Sabahans and Sabah natives but the Sabah government should not be taken in with grandeur of the bumiputra/Malay agenda and promote the bumiputra empowerment program when their duty and obligation is to safeguard the special position of the Sabah natives.

The esteemed TYT and the Sabah government are under a statutory duty and moral obligation under Article 41 of the Sabah Constitution to safeguard and promote the interests of the Sabah natives while looking after the legitimate interests of the other communities.

“I strongly urge the Sabah government to return to the correct path and set up a non-partisan “Sabah Native Empowerment Council” and start formulating a “Sabah Native Empowerment Agenda” and implement native empowerment programs and policies immediately” concluded Dr. Jeffrey.

Datuk Dr.Jeffrey Kitingan

Chairman

STAR Sabah

01 October  2013

Bring RM2 Billion Road Repairs Not Just Visit - Jeffrey

Kota Kinabalu:     “The DPM is most welcome to visit Sabah anytime but he should bring along RM2 billion for the badly needed road repairs in Sabah when visiting officially,”said Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan, STAR Sabah Chief, when asked about the DPM’s 2-day visit starting Monday.

Recently, many reports have been said about the poor road conditions in various parts of Sabah and the lack of federal funding for these road repairs and maintenance.

The Sabah JKR Director had lamented that there was a backlog of RM2 billion that were urgently needed to carry out these repairs.  

In addition, it appears that another RM700 million was needed to repair and replace 62 bridges on federal roads.  Yet, the federal government has only allocated a miniscule RM33 million, not even 5% of the required sum, for bridge repairs.

Such apathy, “tidak apa” and irresponsible attitude of the federal leaders in treating Sabah roads and bridges are no longer acceptable.

The condition of these roads and bridges are serious matters and the poor road conditions is a matter of life and death for the daily lives of Sabahans.

The federal leaders should pay serious attention to the funding of the road repairs and not just make empty promises when they are in the Borneo States and the promises are conveniently forgotten when they fly back to the Peninsula to their plush and cozy offices in Putrajaya, funded by Petronas with oil and gas moneys from Sabah and Sarawak.

Kg. Kelatuan, Papar Wooden Bridge

“The empty promises are not a statement of the opposition but by Sarawak BN leaders who even wanted these promises to be in writing and implemented without delay” stressed Dr. Jeffrey.

The road repairs are only a small part of the road and bridges problem in Sabah.  Yet, it is ignored by the federal leaders until an amount of RM2 billion is accumulated for the past years.  RM2 billion is small change compared to the RM18 billion taken yearly by Petronas and the federal government from Sabah’s oil and gas.

Apart from road repairs, the federal government need to allocate urgent funds to seal roads in Sabah, some 6,000 km of roads under JKR Sabah and another 5,400 km under the jurisdiction of local authorities.

In Sabah, poor road repairs and bad road conditions are not just voiced by the opposition.  Sabah BN leaders including from Sabah Umno are beginning to voice their satisfaction over the road conditions in their own constituencies.

Recent statements calling for road repairs by the Kinabatangan Umno MP and Umno leaders in Libaran, the home district of the Chief Minister, shows the huge scale of Sabah road problems that have been covered up by the Sabah Umno/BN leaders and ignored by the federal leaders.

The Sabah Umno leaders are starting to realize that if they do not start looking after the interests and welfare of Sabahans, they will be booted out by the people.

Therefore, we urge the DPM not to come visiting Sabah empty handed but to bring at least a cheque for RM2 billion written payable to the Sabah government or the Sabah JKR.   If no such allocation is provided, it will show that the “JanjiDiTepati” BN Manifesto is nothing but a hot air promise to fish for votes in the last general election.

The federal leaders should start awakening from their ignoring of Sabah road conditions and realize that their “fixed deposit” is no longer keeping quiet but have started to demand for their rightful allocations for road repairs and road construction.

The Umno/BN federal leaders and the DPM need to also realize that the MPs from Sabah and Sarawak are now “kingmakers” and can simply walk-out from and topple and change the ruling BN regime if the grievances of the Borneo States are continued to be ignored and marginalized.  At the same time, if the Sabah BN leaders do not start demanding for Sabah’s rightful allocations, they themselves will be toppled and changed by the people.

Datuk Dr.Jeffrey Kitingan

Chairman

STAR Sabah

29September 2013