Monday, May 12, 2008

Anifah speaks his mind

By and large, he said Malaysians in Sabah still felt being isolated although they have been in the Malaysian federation for 45 years. Citing Sabah’s insignificant representation in the federal cabinet, he said more Sabahans should be appointed to senior positions in the civil service, GLCs as well as universities.

7 comments:

  1. Sabahans are, again, barking up the wrong tree.

    It's useless to ask for more federal representation. More Sabahan federal ministers DOES NOT mean more Sabahn power

    Why? Because the ultimate power of appointment rests with the PM.

    If you want REAL state power, fight for states' rights. Over local law enforcement, over allocation of revenues, over education funding etc.

    cheers

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  2. Priority list:-
    1. 25% oil royalty (increases as the market is bullish now! soon it'll reach 30% if federal keeps delaying their decision)
    2. Autonomy or the so-called "rights' of Sabahan.
    3. Who's going to lead Sabah? The team that is going to administer the state. No good team, then better give it to Yong to lead.

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  3. Barking up the wrong tree is still beter than keeping quiet!

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  4. With all these effort especially this blog, I'm convinced tha SAPP is embarking on an exit plan from BN!

    Selamat jalan bah.

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  5. Anifah: Once the defections start, there's no stopping

    KUALA LUMPUR (May 14, 2008): If and when East Malaysian Barisan Nasional (BN) parliamentarians defect, the ruling coalition cannot do anything anymore (to stop the defections), said Datuk Anifah Aman (BN-Kimanis).

    Anifah, one of the many Sabahan and Sarawakian MPs who voiced their concern and dissatisfaction over BN’s lack of attention to issues in the two states in debates on the motion of thanks on the royal address, did not discount himself from doing the same.

    "I will do it (defect) if it is in the best interest of the people," he told reporters in Parliament lobby today.

    However, Anifah defended that the Sabah leaders were actually trying to stop the people from defecting.

    When asked about the up till August time frame given by Datuk Yong Teck Lee (Sabah Progressive Party President and Gaya MP), Anifah said people were getting impatient and were drawn to the 20% oil royalty offer by Pakatan Rakyat (PR).

    "It makes a lot of difference for Sabah. Whether it becomes a reality, is debatable. What we are saying is 'look into our grievances', the problem of illegal immigrants.

    "If you can set up the Judicial Appointment Commission and the Malaysian Commission against Corruption, why can’t you set up a commission to look into this matter," he lamented.

    Parti Bersatu Sabah president Datuk Joseph Pairin Kitingan likened the situation to the government being the doctor who is not treating the aches and pains of the people, the patient.

    "It is just like when we are sick, the doctor doesn’t treat you to get rid of that pain in the body, you will continue to feel sick and unhappy and miserable. The aches and pains have been expressed in the Dewan and the patient has been talking and telling the doctor they need treatment," he said, adding that Sabah MPs were merely protecting the country and its sovereignty.

    "This means illegal immigrants must be sent away. We have laws which must be enforced. Who are you choosing, your citizens or the illegal immigrants? Of course your citizens must be protected," said Pairin.

    On the oil royalty, Kitingan said it needed to be considered "as I see it as a lopsided agreement".

    "It is also being fully exploited by the Opposition and the agreement has to be studied. You can’t just dismiss it as not being lopsided but there must be a discussion with all the MPs and leaders to look at the facts and figures so that the people are satisfied," he added.

    Datuk Seri Panglima Abdul Ghapur Salleh (BN-Kalabakan) denies any knowledge of MPs "jumping ship" and says he isn’t one, for now.

    However, he quipped: "If I am not satisfied, I will form my own party. Why should I jump? I don’t want to jump because the other party will also tie my legs, like BN". "All I am saying to the leadership is we don’t want to be second class citizens."

    Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan (BN-Kota Belud) said the election gave the people a chance to change the political model of country and he is all for a two-party system in the country.

    On Yong’s ultimatum that his party may leave BN in August if the state issues are not resolved, Abdul Rahman said he believed Yong said it in good faith as he was only presenting the views of the people in Sabah and Sarawak.

    Posted by kasee
    Thursday, 15 May 2008
    Llew-Ann Phang, The Sun

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  6. Comment on
    “"Anifah speaks his mind"”

    Anifah speaks ours mind too.
    Why the quietness from the Sarawakian side?
    We have not heard anything about their declaration of stand so far. Maybe they are the typical politicians who will show their face only in last minute. Or, they might sell us out at the end.

    However, like it or not, regional politic is finally here, and growing fast and strong. Malaysian political landscape is changing towards east and west blocks, where “Pakatan Borneo” represented by Sabah & Sarawak; Semenanjung representing the west block. Parties from the West Block has no place in the East Block as peoples want truly representation of their interests where the West Block will never understand the people here.

    However, Pakatan Borneo has to start with Pakatan Sabah and Pakatan Sarawak first.

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  7. Don't blame us for raising issues : Ghapur

    KUALA LUMPUR : Kalabakan MP Datuk Seri ABdul Ghapur Salleh has called on members of the House not to question the sincerity of members from Sabah and to stop “acting on behalf of the government in answering issues regarding Sabah.”

    He said Sabah MPs were merely voicing out the people’s concern,especially those related to development and illegal immigrants issues.

    “Dont blame us (for raising these issues) because if you blame us,the Sabah people will pressure us to quit the party,” he said when met at the Parliament lobby Thursday.

    He was asked to comment on a statement by Datuk Mohamed Abdul Aziz (BN-Sri Gading) in the Dewan Rakyat Tuesday,advising Sabah MPs against disputing the appointment of ministers and stop being arrogant and proud of their victories in the last general election.

    Ghapur said :”The Sri Gading (MP) still has a colonial mentality.What I am concerned of is how to improve the BN,” he said.

    Ghapur also said that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi should be given time to deal with the problems in Sabah.

    “Pak Lah is probably thinking about it.It’s not for Sri Gading (Mohamed) to say,” he added.

    Meanwhile Unity,Culture,Arts and Heritage Minister Datuk Shafie Apdal rejected notion that Sabah MPs were being “anti-unity or anti-peninsula.”

    “They are not looking for a fight.They just want to bring up issues on Sabah.This should not be the basis to say that they are anti-unity or anti-peninsula.

    “What they are asking for is more development for the state,” he said.

    On the lack of Sabah representation in cabinet,which was among issues being raised by Sabah MPs,Shafie said: “We accept what is given to us.”

    Quoted from New Sabah Times Report (15/5/08)

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