My first visit and first political programme in Sabah was 48 years ago on May 13, 1969 when I came over from Peninsular Malaysia to help in the campaigning of the independent parliamentary candidate in Kota Kinabalu, and I was to visit Sandakan and Tawau, but the infamous May 13 riots in 1969 broke out in Kuala Lumpur, and the rest is history.
In the past 54 years, Sabah has had 13 Chief Ministers (in contrast with six in Sarawak), but in the past half a century, Sabahans had not enjoyed the fruits of development which Sabahans and Sarawakians had been promised when the federation of Malaysia was formed from the Malaysia Agreement 1963 by Malaya, Sabah, Sarawak and Singapore.
The Chief Commissioner of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), Tan Sri Dzulkifli Ahmad said in Putrajaya today that between August 2016 and August 2017, MACC seized assets worth RM334.53 million.
This gives an indication of the enormity and monstrosity of the corruption and abuses of power which had been rampant in Sabah in the past few decades when about half of the MACC seized assets in the past 12 months came from Sabah.
The Barisan National Federal Government is trying to use the Pan-Borneo Highway to get the votes of Sabah and Sarawak for the 14GE, but if there had been effective and good government in Sabah and Sarawak in the past half a century, instead of rampant corruption and abuses of power, Sabah and Sarawak on their own would have the resources, capability and financial capacity to have built the Pan-Borneo Highway.
But there is now an air and hope for major political change in Malaysia.
I was in Gelang Patch in Johore this morning, mid-day in Kajang in Selangor and now in Tawau – a hectic schedule for Pakatan Harapan leaders to bring about a political tsunami for Malaysia in the next general election.
There was a political tsunami in the 13th General Election in May 2013, but it was confined to the urban areas. It was not a Chinese political tsunami but a urban political tsunami of the Chinese, Indians, Malays, Kadazans and Ibans in the urban areas. But it was not enough to overcome the undemocratic features in the system to bring about a political change to elect a new Federal Government in Putrajaya.
We need not just a urban political tsunami, but a Malaysian political tsunami – a rural political tsunami to complement the urban political tsunami, where all Malaysians, whether Malays,Chinese, Indians, Kadazans and Ibans stand up to demand for political change throughout Malaysia and in all the territories and states of Malaysia.
I was with Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, the Pakatan Harapan Chairman and other Pakatan Harapan leaders in Penang and Kuching the previous week; and in Selangor and Johor last Thursday and Friday.
We can sense that the people in Malaysia, whether in urban or rural areas, are on the move to demand fundamental changes in Malaysia in the next General Election.
We can sense this in the various states in Peninsular Malaysia, including states which had all along been regarded as the “fixed deposits” states of UMNO/Barisan National, like Johor and Malacca. We can sense this when Sarawak Pakatan Harapan was launched in Kuching the previous Sunday.
Can there be a united mission for change by all Opposition parties and forces in Sabah?
I want to make a proposal, not on behalf of Pakistan Harapan or even on behalf of DAP, but as a Malaysian political worker who had dedicated 52 years of my life to a better Malaysia for all Malaysians.
I call on all Opposition political parties in Sabah to unite on a common platform to topple the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, UMNO and Barisan National at both the federal and Sabah levels in the 14GE and not to allow any differences among them to deflect them from this common objective.
Lets put aside whatever differences there are among the Opposition parties and focus single-mindedly on effecting political change in Putrajaya and Sabah for it is not going to be an easy task to topple Najib, UMNO and BN in Malaysia and Sabah in the 14GE.
Let us put aside the artificial arguments about local parties and peninsular parties for where is the good faith and sincerity to regard DAP MPs Steven Wong and Jimmy Wong and DAP State Assemblyman Chan Foong Hin as if they are in any way less Sabahan than others when they championed Sabah rights and interests in Parliament and the Sabah State Assembly.
Let us realise that there is no way Sabah can be saved if we do not save Malaysia; in the same way, there is no way Malaysia can be saved if we do not save Sabah.
We should there Save Sabah to Save Malaysia; Save Malaysia to Save Sabah.
If we miss the opportunity to effect political change in Sabah and Malaysia in the 14GE, and Najib can continue as Prime Minister of Malaysia after the 14GE, it may be a long time before the people of Sabah and Malaysia can bring about change through the democratic process.
[Speech at the Tawau DAP Mooncake Festival celebration in Tawau on Sunday, 1st October 2017 at 9 pm]
#1 by Bigjoe on Monday, 2 October 2017 - 10:35 am
Just return from Sabah after decades not being there and if you put aside issue of employment opportunities and problem with migrants, Sabah is a fantastic place to visit and live. You could imagine, and its still possible, how Sabah could be and can be under truly great administration.
To me Sabah could have been like a very big Penang, could have been been like Taiwan or Korea if they had, frankly, Lee Kuan Yew’s leadership and vision. Instead they look OK on surface but underneath is huge issues in socio-economic, very uncertain economic strategy and questions about its future
#2 by asahamat on Monday, 2 October 2017 - 8:21 pm
Salam sejahtera YB LKS.
Firstly thanks Allah for enabling me to have access to your blog. For months I had been trying, but only today I could make it. Sorry my writing is a bit long.
(2) Secondly, I’m a Sarawakian. I belong to no political group or NGO. My political interest is merely as purely being wanting our Malaysia to be great for all. Malaya politic and cultural are nothing alient to me as I used to study n having lots of working experiences there.
(3) According to our today National economic and inter-racial issues, I love to see a major change to our Governance system. To gain such, first and foremost our political system need to be changed. In Islam, it had clearly being mentioned, thing always comes in pair. In this Country our political system is singular, monotone and heeding to undemocratic in nature. BN for the past 60 yrs had never being paired accordingly to ensure this Nation is governed by true check and balance governing system. Thus the Al Quran saying that things must come in pair is a strong justification to make our political system be more balance and healthy. The emergence of PH to pair BN is politically and theologically to the correct timing and in tendum with the saying of the Al Quran.
(4) Seeing Malaya politic from across the sea, definitely I can see DAP had been a victim of circumstances. In the urge to uplift the Quality of Lives especially of the Malays and to neutralise the Islamic ideological conflict among them ie UMNO and PAS, I can see DAP had been used as scape goat or black sheep. Unfortunately, DAP had reacted to the sense such that DAP had all along being seen as really bad. DAP had fallen trape into UMNO-PAS greedy political games.
(5) DAP no doubt has been struggling hard for the non-Malays course. I have no issue on those. It is one’s right to fight one’s course. Just unfortunate, along the way DAP had danced to the tune of UMNO-PAS game. DAP for too much being pushed to the wall began to fight back by “seem to be attacking” UMNO and or PAS to the extend such being exploited smartly by both of them as anti-Malays and or Islam. Doesn’t matter of whom, if an issue of race and religion being touched, surely one will react accordingly.
(6) Based on the above presumption, I believe your goodself, the late Karpal, today LGE (and Tony Phua), all had been too pushy to the frontline in attacking UMNO and PAS. In Sarawak, Chong is a “devil” to himself by tickling PBB, PRS, and SPDP. Those are the Malays blood institutions. They don’t like it and they can’t accept it. To majority Malays, the Malays issues must be handled by the Malays. To me DAP direct attack onto UMNO and PAS had been a very wrong strategy. Even to attack Najib MO1 and Hadi directly is also unacceptable by the Malays. They are their leaders. It is all about Malays dignity that being raised by you guys non-Malays. They can’t accept those.
(7) To me, as a Malays myself, I believe DAP attacks onto BN, UMNO and PAS should had been merely focusing on universal bad values that currently ramphaging the Nation. Corruption, abuse of power, injustice, etc are everyone enemy, thus if DAP had not linked those to the Malays entities be it leadership or institutions, take those merely as generic attack, definitely the Malays can chew those nicely ie without loosing face. To me, all these while, the way DAP had been politicking is by making the Malays to loose face. We can’t accept it. Hard to accept even to anybody or group!
(8) Such, today either PKR, Amanah, Bersatu and even Warisan affiliation with DAP is easily being exploited as DAP dirty trick to ride over the “useless Malays”. Thus PH struggle is an uphill battle to neutralise the feeling of “loosing face” and “fear” among esp the Malays over DAP to size power from the Malays. To me, DAP struggle images have been not “inviting” abd thus need serious strategy review.
(9) Therefore, for PH to have a broad deep drive into the Malays’ hearts for the change of this Government, DAP should now being heard, seen and practicing “the accomodative old Malays-Chinese relationship style”. In the old days, esp the Kampong Chinese had never having any issue with the Malays for they mind their own business and accordingly for the Malays. DAP need to keep up to this value if changes has to be achieved fast. In the eyes of the general Malays, such accomodative value is important to facilitate a greater assimilation of DAP with the rest of PH. Thus DAP is now, need to be seen as non-arrogant personalities or champion to topple Najib MO1. Let those be a clear work of Wan Azizah, Mat Sabu, Rafizi, Muhhydin Yasin, Mukriz, Mahfuz, Shafie Apdal and definitely Mahathir to name a few. DAP should now be playing feeder roles. Just take the back seat in areas of the Malays issues but keep check mate onto MCA, MIC, SUPP, SCA and alikes.
(10) You had startted the run, let the finishing be done by the most perfect runner so to win the game. Being not a hero sometimes is more heroic that being a loosing hero.
TQVM. Good luck in your struggle.
#3 by good coolie on Monday, 2 October 2017 - 11:44 pm
Will the Sabahans that Mahatir created vote for Mahatir out of gratitude to him, or will they follow the party that can now throw the parties?
If Chinese and Indians can be conferred citizenship by PM Tengku. can’t the greater PM (Mahatir) grant Filipino illegal immigrants citizenship and obtain their votes to dilute the political power of already existing Sabahans and sekaligus ensure UMNO gets a strong toe-hold in Sabah? FF 20 years, and there you are, the former illegals are grateful to the Disciple, not to the Mahaguru.
#4 by good coolie on Wednesday, 4 October 2017 - 12:08 pm
“See me!” say the dreaded red words on the child’s exercise book. However, The Sword of Democles will last only until the next lesson, one way or another.
#5 by good coolie on Sunday, 8 October 2017 - 7:35 pm
My friend Asahamat, DAP has been critical of all those deserving criticism, whether they be Malays, Indians, Chinese, or East Malaysian natives. Have faith in LKS. He is an honest and patriotic Malaysian.