‘Sabahan first’ policy needs a change of mindset
Published on: Sunday, August 29, 2021
By: Datuk John Lo
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Mindset Transformation for Sabahans First Policy By Political Leaders
Most popular comments can be summarised in these—-[a] Sabah Politicians must transform their mindset if Sabahans First Policy were to succeed. [b] If they fail to do so, it will spell economic stalemate, regression and worst, economic doom. No exaggeration in [b] as we have already seen that Sabah has spiralled down from No 2 to last in Malaysia, famous for all the wrong reasons and most unfavourable economic indicators. Sabah will go down much more if politicians don’t transform their mindset.
Sabahans Are Adopted Children In Our Own Sabah.
Is this statement an exaggeration? An overstatement? Look around you, what is happening to Sabahans’ business? Who are the owners of most of the business in Sabah? What is going to happen to your children’s and grandchildren’s future? Can you see the unacceptable large number of Sabahans mired in poverty, so many in abject poverty?
As elected representatives of Sabahans and entrusted to manage the Sabah’s economy/natural resources for the benefit of Sabahans, the political leaders must transform their mindset. [a] Tan Sri Harris was the “father” of Sabahans First Policy. He conceived and produced Sabah’s “Golden Age”. Unfortunately, after him, there was a distinctive focus shift from Sabahans in favour of Sarawakians in all sort of business and W Malaysians most notably, in the development of oil palm plantations. Regrettably, this trend is still very pervasive. [b] Reversing this trend will be a gigantic task for political leaders unless they have Sabahans’ best economic interest in their hearts, tons of political courage and statesmanship. [c] Success of Sabahans First Policy can be elusive and difficult without bipartisan unity. Opposing political parties/politicians can have different views and implementation strategies but their ultimate objectives/results must converge in the form of Sabahans First Policy. [d] Politicians must have genuine concern, love for Sabah and a keen sense of desire to see Sabahans progress more than outsiders.
Outsiders own business in Sabah, Sabahans are factory workers in W Malaysia.
This is the result of years of neglect and lack of a Sabahans First Policy. This is the manifestation of a badly managed economy, an economy that Sabahans have lost control of. Outsiders have come in to be our bosses, owners of all types of business. Sabahans, not being able to find jobs, are having to emigrate to W Malaysia to seek jobs in factories. Many better educated/qualified ones have also gone.
Sabahans First Policy for Sabahans Investors.
We roll out the red carpet for large and small foreign and outsider investors. Give them state land. Sell land to them cheaply. GLCs JV with them on best/prime commercial lands on give-away terms in one sided-agreements that no Sabahan investors have ever been given. One GLC has entered into an agreement with a W Malaysian company for a prime waterfront commercial land. Nothing happened on the land in 5 years. The GLC should have pulled out of the deal but it extended the agreement for 2 more years. The 2-year extension is expiring soon but the project is no way in sight. A Sabahan company with track records and financial capacity has been deprived of this project. Another GLC has entered into JV with a non-Sabahan company for a multi-billion development with no proven track record for this size of development.
Sabah has failed to look after Sabahan investors. There is no conscious effort/ policy to seek out them out, encourage them, give them preference, offer better or at least equivalent treatment for them to invest in their home state. Why this discrimination against our own Sabahan investors? Isn’t it natural to look after our own people first and ensure their prosperity? Why is this indifferent treatment against Sabahan businessmen?
The lack of a coherent Sabahans First Policy to look after Sabah businessmen/investors, especially the SME, is shockingly absent in Sabah in last 30 years plus. Admittedly few Sabahans have done reasonably well because they have cultivated access to the corridor of power. Sadly, the overwhelmingly majority can only wait by the side only, hoping for crumbs as sub- sub- sub- contracts.
Government And Sabahan Investors/Business Community MUST Become True Partners.
Much lip service but opposite is true in reality in this regard. Sabahan investors/business community have been ignored, much to the detriment of Sabah’s economy. Sabah’s massive financial leakages must be plugged.
I would fail if I don’t emphasise on this following point, i.e., the politicians’ negative treatment for Sabahans in business is very damaging economically. Each time there is a change of government, many Sabah businessmen are in a frenzy seeking access to “invest or reinvest in personal relationship”. Some can survive the change but many die a thousand deaths [financially speaking]. This destructive witch hunt must stop in order to nurture and strengthen the Sabahan business community to be on par with those in other states. Sabah should have our own billionaires and millionaires.
Most outsiders are not subject to or having to pay the heavy cost of establishing reconnection to the new power that be. The undesirable consequences of this peculiarity are—- [a] Politicians do not have long term plan, only within their expected term of office. [b] Sabahan investors/business community are unable to make long term business plans and/or investments as licences/contracts can be cancelled or renegotiated. [c] Understandably, their logical course is short term, take whatever they can within the term of the government. [d] Hence Sabahan business community cannot grow in size and strength. [e] There is a great reluctance for them to build their base in Sabah.
Politicians must learn to accept that the business community have no choice, are obligated to co-operate with the government of the day. In so doing, they don’t mean to become political enemies of any opposition party.
Sabahans First Policy Is Good Politics and Economy.
Sabahans First Policy is sensible and logical for genuine politicians for these following reasons—- [a] It is good politics as 100pc Sabahans would support/love any political leaders who espouse and champion this policy. I am confident that the vast majority of Sabahans who have suffered economic deprivation and humiliation for more than 30 years would welcome this policy with open arms. [b] Sabahans First Policy, if implemented sensibly, does not require government dishing out large amount of free money. The government needs only to produce sensible supportive/friendly policies, incentives, encouragement for Sabahans. All these will require little government budget. [c] When the implementation of this policy has gained sufficient traction, Sabah will have an inherently strong economy, prosperity for all Sabahans. [d] Sabahans will regain our economic pride, control of our economic destiny.
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