Saturday, May 10, 2008
Harris calls on Federal Government to give Sabah more autonomy
The Federation of Malaysia which was formed 44 years ago is now confronted with political and economic uncertainties over the last few years. This began in the late eighties, and had got worse as the days go by. The Federal Government is less transparent, while at the same time is it is has become more and more autocratic and monopolistic on policies and being carried away. Indeed, it is sadly no more what was envisaged as a democratic country - as propounded by Abraham Lincoln. The Federal Government, however. has become in practice the government, Malaysia is doomed to be a failed country.
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The Federation of Malaysia which was formed 44 years ago is now confronted with political and economic uncertainties over the last few years. This began in the late eighties, and had got worse as the days go by. The Federal Government is less transparent, while at the same time is it is has become more and more autocratic and monopolistic on policies and being carried away. Indeed, it is sadly no more what was envisaged as a democratic country - as propounded by Abraham Lincoln. The Federal Government, however. has become in practice the government, Malaysia is doomed to be a failed country.
ReplyDeleteFaced with this real scenario, it is time now for the Federal Government to hold a plebiscite in Sabah for the people in the State to decide whether they wish to remain in Malaysia or want to be out off the federation. The founding fathers also had his in mind and had foreseen that such an eventuality would happen in the future. At that time, Sabah was considered incapable of governing it self due to the lack of qualified and experienced local administrators and political leaders. Now Sabah is ready to stand on its own feet and govern it self,
Not only because its people have progressed under Malaysia , but also that it has kept pace with the general progress mankind has chalked up worldwide. Sabahans no longer need outsiders to help run to government and the State.
The Federation of Malaysia was formed by encompassing the Federation of Malaya , Singapore , Sarawak, and Sabah (then British North Borneo ) in 1963.
It was formed in a hurry because the British Government was under tremendous pressure from the United Nations to grant independence to all its colonies. Singapore was on the verged of a communist takeover and, in order to protect their own interest, the British were keen that the island state joined the Federation of Malaysia .
However, Malaysia’s founding father, Prime Minister of Malaya, the late Tunku Abdul Rahman refused the request by the British as it would create a racial imbalance between the Malays and Chinese in favour of the latter. The Tunku agreed to take Singapore in provided the British also included Brunei , Sarawak, and Sabah in the proposed Federation.
The people of Brunei , Sarawak, and Sabah initially opposed the proposal. The people of Brunei even revolted. Brunei, therefore, was excluded. The agreement to from the Federation of Malaysia was sealed after a hard bargain and promise by the Malayan leaders of a good government, prosperity and security. More importantly, because of the trust they had placed in the Tunku and other Malayan leaders, the people of Sarawak and Sabah accepted the proposal to join the newly-constituted Federation of Malaysia and not the Federation of Malaya .
Malaya was led by leaders that included the Tunku, his deputy the late Tun Abdul Razak, Tun Tan Siew Sin and Tun Sambathan. Local leaders from Sarawakcomprised the late Temenggong Jugah, Tun Abdul Rahman Yaacob and the late Tan Sri Ong Kee Hui. Leaders from Sabah included the late Tun Datu Haji Mustapha Datu Harun, the late Tun Haji Mohd Fuad Stephens, the late Datuk Khoo Siak Chew and the late Datuk GS Sundang.
The Federal Government under Tunku and Tun Abdul Razak was fully democratic, transparent and practiced good governance. However, after these leaders, this practice gradually was not followed. During the past 20 years, more and more autocracit and monopolstic systems, laws and policies have been introduce and enforced by the Federal Government is either being ignored or kept saide. This can be clearly seen from the autocratic bureacracy which planned and implemented development projects worth billions of ringgit in Sabahsuch as roads and schools which were not the priority projects in the State.
The extension and rehabilitation of the Kota Kinabalu International Airport will eventually cost aread RM2 billion. With that amount of funds, the government could have built a new airport either at Kimanis or between Tuaran and Kota Belud. It is claimed that negotiated contracts cost a lot more compared to what they would have cost if they were tenderde out. Even the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi commented publicly the three schools could have been built at the cost of two schools. In addition, it has already been seen that the standard of work of these negotiated contracts are poor. A number of newly built roads have collapsed but regrettably, no action have been taken againts those responsible
In addition, most development projects and programmes introduced by the Federal Government were monopolistic in nature and seem to benefit only the cronies and supporters of their political leaders. As a results of the Federal Government’s rules and policies, Malaysia has become one of the most expensive countries in which to do anything, particularly business. To begin with, there are to many holidays.too many monopolies, too many iomprt restrictions. The Federal Government seems to be proud of the various subsidies that it offers, particularly on fuel and certain food items which in reality give rise instead to many problems such as encouraging smuggling and black markets that have cost the country dearly.
The Federal Government had imposed school and medical fees when it is fully aware that the majority of the people of Sabah could not afford them. The government also aware that these fees have increased the cost of living fr the poor rakyat, who view the development projects being implemented in their areas as meaningless. The people are no longer looking forward to development projects. After all, if anything, Malaysia is already overbaiit with mega projects and infrastructure.
In addition to all these, the Federal Government leaders also do not practice what they preach. Many criminally and civil offences that were committed and reported to the police and Anti Curruption Agency and widely published, were ignored and swept under the carpet.
The people’s growing dissatisfaction graduanlly traversed and permeanted to such and extent that their general Government turned into an anti government protest which they expressed during the last general election. The ruling party lost five states and nearly lost the Federal Government. After seeing what has happened in the peninsular states, it is more than likely that Sarawak and Sabah will follow their lead at the next general elections. It is for the reason that UMNO. the backone of the ruling coalition, should change its leader now. Many concerned UMNO stalwarts Tun Mahathir, Tengku Razaeigh, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and other have alreadymand smiller calls to save UMON from self-destraction. Muhyiddin has even predicted that if UMNO does not change its leader, the Pakatan Rakyat will from the next Federal Government.
The tome is right for the Federal Government to reverr to policies and programmes undertaken during the 1960s enough is enough. The Federal Government should take steps to withdraw all food import permits and abolish all monopolies including the import and marketing of food items such as rice. It should adhere to the principles of free trade and an open market policy removing all restricitions on economic and business activites. At the same time it should abolish completely all subsidies including those on petrol and diesel, and other.
In return for the withdrawls of subsidies, the Federal Government should introduce a “Hardship Allowance” of RM300 per month for every Malaysian aged 21 years and above as a temporary measure to assits the people during the these difficult economic times. According to the Ministry of Finance, the Federal Government spends Rm60 billions in various subsidies. The proposed “Hardship Allowance” will cost the government about RM2 billion a month of RM 24 billion a year. Through this the Federal Government will save at least RM36 billion a year. RM300 per month would mean a lot to the rural people and those from the lower
Income groups and will guarantee them a satisfactory livehood. It would also demonstrate that the government practices an equiltable distributin of welth. This is all the more appropriate of Sabah which in the year 2000 had an unemployment rate of 5.6 per cent, compared to the national varage of 3.1per cent. In 2000, this was 16 per cent of 3 times the national average, and this increased to 22 per cent in 2004. This is the result of an inequitable distribution of wealth between Sabah and other States.
Over the last forty years Sabah just like many countries around the world has matured and grown from the 1960 colonial era into an economically and politically viable State. In the political field, Sabah hs produced many seasoned and wall qualified politicians to lead and guide the State’s path towards development which will continue to improve to keep pace with other South East Asian countrie that will also strive to improve their competitiveness.
Sabah is fortunated because it can be comfortably self sufficient by relying on its available natural resources and agricultural development. Sabah is also reported to have the capacity to produce million barrels of oil and natural gas equivaient to a million barrels of oil. This means that in the next few years Sabah will be producing about 2 million barreof oil per day. This, together with palm oil from more than a million hectares of oil palm plantations will earn for the State a total revenue of not less than RM12 million yearly. Sabah will yhus have no difficulries to look after itself without outside assistance and to concentrate and focus on efforts and programmes to reduce its unemployment and poverty problems.
In view of these facts that uncertainties have sit in as to the future economic and political leadership of Malaysia, and also based on media reports, the leadership instead making changes still continues to practice and defend the style of autocratic and monopolistic governance and ignore facts andreason. Therefore, as such why should Sabah continue to suffer under a government which is doomed to turn the country into a failure. It is only right and proper for the Federal Government at this point of time to give Sabahans yhe choice to decide their own fate before it is before too late. The founding fathers of Malaysia took this choice and alternatif when Singaopre was asked to leave. Most recently such states as Timor Laste and Kosovo have chosen to leave their Federated States. The Federal Government has an obligation to be fair and just to Sabahan and should, therefore, take steps to carry out a plebiscite for the people of sabah to decide weather they wish to countinue to remain in Malaysia or have complete rule of themsel. In any case physically to Sabah has never been a part Peninsular Malaysia.
Letter to the Editor NST