RECENTLY there has been great hype on the statement made by the Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Ahmad Marzuk Shaary on the matter of the Federal Government’s plans to introduce some four Bills on Syariah matters one of which apparently to control or limit the propagation of Non-Islamic Religion. This, no doubt, is of grave concern for Malaysians who professes non-Islamic Religion. The question is, can the Federal Government introduce such bills and make such laws and if so, to what extent and scope would such proposed Bills affect the practice of such non-Islamic faiths.

Sabah’s Deep Rooted & Prolonged Economic Malaise. Many have asked members of the Sabah Economic Advisory Council, especially Chairman Tan Sri David Chu, on what’s going on in Sabah’s economy. Most expect thunders and lightnings after Hajiji has been sworn in as Chief Minister. Few realise Sabah’s deep rooted and prolonged economic malaise. Resetting and restructuring the economy are and will continue to be difficult and extremely complex.  Wrong strategic policies and/or implementation therefore can compound the already bad economic condition Sabah is already in [including the raging COVID pandemic].

TAN Sri Ghazali Shafie was the Minister of Home Affairs under Tun Razak  from 1973 to 1981, and Minister of Foreign Affairs under Tun Dr Mahathir from 1981 to 1984. Before holding those posts he was permanent secretary for Tunku Abdul Rahman.

Sino-America Tension is Unnerving. Sabahans should be increasingly nervous about the dense geopolitical development being scribed by USA in the South China Sea because of China’s economic ascendency to second super power and soon, overtake USA as the largest economy in the world. Very worrying is this USA led gang up to contain China, reminiscent of the opium war that the colonial powers of the West, together with Japan defeated China and carved up vast tracks of land and economic concessions from China, including the forced rights to sell opium to Chinese citizens.

BLOOMBERG has an article about Malaysia becoming a “failed state” on 8 July 2021. I don’t believe this to be the case. Unfair to compare Malaysia with some failed African states. However, we should look at our own country objectively. The fact of the matter is Malaysia has failed to perform on par with other Asian Tigers, of which Malaysia was one, equal or even better than them, some years ago. Malaysia has fallen behind badly.

MANY PTI (Pendatang Tanpa Izin or illegal immigrants) in Sabah are deported from time to time throughout the year. It’s a campaign that goes on relentlessly, driven by local politics, only slowed down by the movement control order restrictions and lockdown imposed by the pandemic.

FEW people fully appreciate the immense contributions by Tunku Abdul Rahman, the foremost leader of Malaya from August 1951, and the principal architect, founder and builder of Malaysia.

THE feedback since my article “Sabah Falling Behind in Durian Potential” 1 August 2021 has been very encouraging. The Ministry of Agriculture or the Department of Agriculture may have the total acreage and species of durians already and/or will be planted in the near future. So far as I can ascertain, there are already some major planters like Tan Sri Harris and son Datuk Razak have, between them, several hundred acres, Bornion Timber has already got a substantial acreage of first-class MSK [Mau Sang King] fruiting, a few tycoons in Keningau and Tawau have also gone into durians a big way.

Although Sabah eventually recovered after five months fighting against the Covid-19 third wave following the Sabah snap election on Sep 26 last year, the Covid-19 daily infection figures rose back to four-digit again during the past few weeks.

THANKS for the calls and discussions/suggestions on my last Sunday’s article “Why A Sabahan First Policy Matters”. I append below some of the points that will and can be relevant for the success of this policy.