A woman TYT, PM and 6 CMs
Published on: Thursday, February 08, 2018
Putatan: Fancy Sabah reverting to its former name of North Borneo and Kota Kinabalu erased on the map in favour of Jesselton, having a Bumiputra woman as Governor and the state run by a Prime Minister to be assisted by six Chief Ministers? This is what opposition Parti Kebangsaan Sabah (PKS) is promising, among others, in its manifesto for the coming election, a copy of which was extended to the Daily Express.If the constitutional changes to effect these are possible, then PKS is already one up over fellow Pakatan Harapan which aspires a Deputy Prime Minister post for Sabah and Sarawak.
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PKS President Thomas Anggan (pic) said its manifesto also includes amending the State Constitution to reinstate Sabah's status as a "negara" and the title of the Governor as Yang Dipertua Negara from the current Yang Dipertua Negeri. Sabah's Chief Executive would be known as "state Prime Minister" instead of Chief Minister with six Chief Ministers in charge of six new regions.When asked who would be the "state Prime Minister" if PKS gets to form the next government, Thomas said, "As party president, I will be the one."He said despite the planned dramatic changes to the political landscape that smacks of autonomy, he said Sabah would remain in the federation."Before 1976, our governors were titled as Yang Dipertua Negara. But that was changed that year.
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If the people give us their mandate, we will reinstate the title to how it originally was," he said.The local multiracial party that was formed in 2013 had declared having no interest in collaborating with any opposition outfit but fight alone in the coming general election.
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It also announced it will field candidates in all the 60 state seats and 26 parliamentary seats in Sabah, including the additional 13 seats, if passed by Parliament before the election.Another major change stated in its lengthy manifesto is the establishment of six regions, each one having four to five parliamentary seats.The regions are Jesselton (Sepanggar, Kota Kinabalu, Putatan and Penampang), Kinabalu (Ranau, Keningau, Tenom and Pensiangan), Padas (Labuan, Papar, Kimanis, Sipitang and Beaufort), Bandau (Kota Belud, Tuaran, Kudat and Kota Marudu), Labuk (Beluran, Libaran, Batu Sapi, Sandakan and Kinabatangan) and Segama (Silam, Semporna, Tawau and Kalabakan).All the six regions will be administered by a chief minister each.Other proposals in its manifesto are:- To revert Labuan to Sabah's control;- To reintroduce Yayasan Sabah shares where RM500 will be given to every person every year;- Make English the official language in the State whereas Bahasa Melayu is the national language;- The Governor is appointed by the State Government regardless of religion and race as long as he or she is a native Sabah Bumiputera;- Women can be appointed as Governor but must be Bumiputra;- A bridge linking the city to Pulau Gaya and from Semporna to Pulau Bum Bum;- Set up a University Rakyat Sabah;- Three-day public holidays for Hari Raya, Chinese New Year, Kaamatan, Pesta Kalimaran and Christmas;- Education aid of RM350 for poor parents of students in pre-schools; RM3,000 for parents having children in higher learning institutions who earn less than RM2,500 per month;- Scrap imposition of GST in Sabah and;- Scrap the cabotage policy.Thomas, a former a Parti Bersatu Sabah assemblyman for Bingkor in 1985, also said that PKS will take over all lands belonging to big companies, including those individually-owned that are above 100 acres, if in power.The drastic action, which is also highlighted in its manifesto, serves as a solution to what the party claims as an unfair practice of land ownership in the state.He said the move will make many landless Sabahans, especially the poor, to become landowners for good."We will amend the Land Ordinance to allow the government to take over all those lands owned by giant companies including Felda, Risda, Felcra and Sime Darby. "We will also take over individually-owned lands above 100 acres. Once we've done that, we will give them to the people who have no land. We will definitely do this if the people give us the mandate to rule," he said.Thomas claimed that for so long now the people have not benefited much from the existing system where cash-rich big companies and individuals own huge acreage of land."Only they themselves are profiting but not the majority of Sabahans. It's time to change this unfairness," he added.He envisioned that when landless Sabahans are given between 10 to 15 acres of land each, their personal and household economy will improve.He noted the Tawau Assisted Settlement Scheme (TASS) that was first introduced by the former Usno Government in the early 60s involving over 30 settlers as proof how people's lives could change for the better when given the chance to develop and own a piece of land."It doesn't make any economic sense when only some people can reap huge profits from so much land that they own yet most of the local population have not even an inch of land to earn a living from or even to live on for them and their children.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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