Sabah leaders can’t match Sarawak’s
Published on: Sunday, April 03, 2022
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Credit: officeholidays.com
This is no different to the US blaming Russia for all its failures including in Iraq, Afghanistan along with its foreign policy and the domestic economic problems the US faces.
Sabah leader’s point of making statement after statement is because of the Federal Government and the Malaysian Agreement.
Sabahans should accept responsibility for any failure by the Federal Government and MA63.
Sabah leaders must be reminded that Sabah is a part of the Federal Government.
At one time Sabah had seven Federal full ministers and more than 20 Members of Parliament.
So far there has been no record of any Sabah representative in the Federal Government (Cabinet) or Parliament ever walking out in protest on an issue or subject deemed detrimental to Sabah .
Why then continue shouting against the Federal Government and MA63?
Sabah even had Ministers holding the portfolio of Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department where Petronas came under their jurisdiction.
Yet, they never fought for refineries to be situated in Sabah nor for Sabah to be represented on the Petronas Board.
Unlike Sarawak who enjoyed both these privileges. Probably these Ministers only took care of themselves and cronies, not Sabahans.
Compare them to Sarawak leaders who have stood their ground to the extent of making sure Umno and PAS do not set foot on Sarawak and destroy the harmony of the people there as this is not why they agreed to be in Malaysia in 1963.
Late Sarawak Premier Adenan Satem even said it would be stupid to allow PBB be dissolved in favour of Umno and he become an Umno Vice President but is overruled when he voices objection to Umno calling for Sarawak’s autonomy to be ended.
There are many ways to obtain government contracts. If the Sabah leaders feel so strongly about Federal policies but feel unable to act, they should resign as their agenda is not noble nor was it about the people.
Every year Sabah leaders make the Federal Government and MA63 an issue, claiming it the very reason that the State has remained the poorest among the 13 states.
Unfortunately and regrettably, after years of blaming the Federal Government and MA63, no Sabah leader has mentioned or listed the failures by the Federal Government in not carrying out its responsibilities under the constitution and MA63.
Just shouting about it will not convince the younger electorates to support any future election.
In the 60 years that Sabah has been a part of the Malaysian Government and Parliament, Sabah has never registered a single protest.
This implies Sabah has accepted all laws and policies for implementation in the state under the Federal Government with open arms.
The Federal Government is only responsible for Foreign Affairs and the Defence of Malaysia. The rest is the responsibility of the State.
By the looks of it, Sabah is still treated equally as 1 of the 11 partners, and with the amendments to the Federal Constitution will be one of three partners.
The Chief Minister (Premier) of Sabah will continue to attend the conferences and commit to the 11 partners.
It is time to complete the whole process – “Kalau Mandi, Biar Basah”.
Kedayan Weston
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