A little about Sabah Politic history

Stephens, now a Datuk, claimed that he was not consulted upon with regard to the booting out of Singapore and he should had been consulted since he was the Federal Minister for Sabah Affair. Together with Peter Mojuntin, the Secretary General of United Pasok Momogun Kadazan Organization (UPKO), he toured the state telling the people that Sabah should re-examine the Twenty Points, the conditions of Sabah’s entry into Malaysia. Recalcitrance in Sabah was the least that the Tunku wanted because during this period, the Konfrontasi was ongoing, the Tunku was afraid that this might give President Sukarno of Indonesia, the excuse to step in and annex Sabah into Indonesia.

There was also speculation that Stephens was going to pull Sabah out of Malaysia and link up with Singapore. If this happened, Sarawak would had followed suit. Hence on 13 September 1965, the Tunku flew into Jesselton and fired Stephesn as Federal Minister for Sabah Affair and Civil Defence. This, the Tunku hoped, would limit his activity in state level. At the same time, the Tunku was already thinking of ways to neutralize Stephens and Tun Datu Mustapha bin Datu Harun became his prime candidate. Tun Mustapha was in Tunku’s opinion, the only politician in Sabah with the stature to challenge Stephens. During this time, Tun Mustapha was still the Head of State.(4)

The Tunku encouraged Tun Mustapha to re-enter politic. Tun Mustapha was initially reluctant but agreed later when Tunku agreed to his requests for a fair degree of autonomy, logistical and economical assistance from the federal government and the help of a politically trained lawyer. Three days later, Tun Mustapha stepped down as Head of State to challenge Stephens in the incoming first election of an independent Sabah. Syed Kechik was sent to Sabah to help Tun Mustapha to neutralize Stephens.(5)

Syed Kechik engineered the coup to get Datuk Donald Stephens to step down as President of UPKO and retire from politic. He was also to convince UPKO members to force Peter Mojuntin into retirement and that his paper, The Sabah Times would run articles suggesting that USNO and UPKO should merge in the interest of bumiputra unity. In the book, The Politics of Federalism, it insinuated that Tun Mustapha would have sought alternative arrangement to save the face of a long-standing colleague. A passage from the book aptly described the situation, “The two were unwitting actors in a drama written by the federal government, and both felt compelled to play out their roles, however reluctantly”. The book further went on to say that had the encounter was between Stephens and other parties in the Sabah Alliance, he would have emerged unscathed, given his powers of articulation and pursuasion but this encounter was with Kuala Lumpur(6)

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Guns threat won't sacre us, said Natives

Despite two attempts on his life by workers allegedly from Palm Raya Pelita, Semawi Anak Renang will not be intimidated in defending his native customary rights (NCR) land and that of 25 other families.

Instead the threats against him and the other landowners of Rumah Randi, Selangau, have made them more determined than ever to defend their 3,000 hectares of land.

The landowners claimed that the Palm Raya Pelita oil palm plantation is owned by Tiong King Sing, the MP for Bintulu. Tiong is also the deputy president of Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) and one Peter Hii.

Last Wednesday, the landowners organised a “sandau hari” (a ceremony in preparation for war) invoking the spirits of their forefathers for assistance, strength and courage following the second attempt on Semawi’s life.  Latest attempt on his life was made on July 2.

According to Semawi, he was on the way to take his bath in a river near the longhouse, when he saw two 4WD vehicles, one of which was blocking the road. He went to the driver to ask him to remove the vehicle, when suddenly another vehicle rushed at him. He was hit and thrown into the bush. Both vehicles hurriedly left the scene. Several people witnessed the incident.

His wife Leman Anak Senang claimed that one of the managers from the company met her, offering RM20,000 to pay for her husband’s medical expenses, and urged her not to report the incident to the police.

She turned down the offer and lodged a report with the Selangau police station. Semawi is now in Sibu General Hospital.

Semawi’s home shot at

The first attempt on his life was made in the early hours of May 25 when strangers fired shotguns towards his house. No one was injured, but his 4WD was damaged.

A report had also been made with the police.

Semawi believed that he was the target of the gangsters allegedly employed by the company as he and 25 others refused to surrender their land to the company after the company failed to adhere to the agreement between them and the company.

They have filed legal action against the company and the case is pending.

During the “sandau hari” hundreds of residents from other longhouses pledged to fight together with them.

“We must be united to defend our rights. When our rights are taken away, in this case our land, we must not retreat.

“Our forefathers defended their land with blood and tears,” they said.

Meanwhile, Joshua Jabeng, PKR’s potential candidate for the Selangau seat, has called on the government especially the police to arrest the culprits and take immediate action in order to prevent violence and bloodshed.

He said that the companies had to proceed with their activities as they had invested millions of ringgit in oil palm, but the native landowners had to defend their rights. “So bloody clashes between the natives and the oil palm companies are expected if the government does not intervene,” he warned.

Jabeng also said the government should be held responsible for any consequences as the government was the one which gave provisional leases to these companies to take away the rights of the natives.

source : http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/?s=Gun+Threats

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Geran Komunal Beri Jaminan Masa Depan Kepada Masyarakat Luar Bandar, Kata Najib

TENOM, 30 Jun (Bernama) — Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak menyuarakan sokongan kepada konsep geran komunal hasil inisiatif kerajaan negeri Sabah, kerana ia memberi jaminan masa depan kepada masyarakat luar bandar di sini.

Berucap pada program Juara Rakyat-1Malaysia Kemabong, Tenom 2011 di Padang Pekan Kemabong dekat sini pada Khamis, beliau berkata usaha itu akan membawa perubahan cukup bermakna dalam mengeluarkan mereka daripada kepompong kemiskinan atau kategori miskin tegar.

“Inilah yang nak saya katakan transformasi luar bandar… bawa kepada perubahan cukup bermakna kepada masyarakat luar bandar.

“Saya amat menyokong konsep ini. Saya dimaklumkan semasa sarapan (di sini) tadi bahawa dalam tahun ke-empat, peserta akan dapat pendapatan lebih kurang RM1,100 sebulan setiap isi rumah.

“Cuba bayangkan, tidak payah pindah rumah dan keluarkan duit satu sen pun. Kalau rajin sikit bekerja dan usaha sampingan, mereka boleh dapat lebih. Pendapatan RM1,100 bererti mereka sudah melebihi (keluar daripada) paras kemiskinan selama-lamanya, bagi keluarga mereka,” katanya.

Sempena lawatan beliau ke daerah kecil Kemabong, yang terletak di kawasan pedalaman daerah Tenom, Najib turut menyempurnakan upacara penyerahan geran komunal bagi kawasan Kabintaluan, Kemabong, kepada tiga wakil peserta.

Kawasan seluas 2,555 hektar itu melibatkan 601 peserta dari 13 kampung.

Selain Kabintaluan, terdapat tiga lagi kawasan lain di Tenom yang telah dikenal pasti untuk geran komunal, iaitu Mangkalias (Melalap) sebanyak 1,800 hektar melibatkan 437 peserta dari 12 kampung, Pengolobon 1 (900 hektar melibatkan 116 peserta dari sebuah kampung), dan Pengolobon 2 (190 hektar melibatkan 41 peserta dari sebuah kampung).

Najib berkata kerajaan persekutuan turut mengeluarkan RM30 juta untuk tujuan persempadanan geran komunal ini.

“Sebenarnya saya ingin melihat pembangunan seimbang di Malaysia, yakni di bandar kita majukan, tetapi jangan lupa di desa dan luar bandar.

“Sebab itu salah satu daripada enam Bidang Keberhasilan Utama Negara (NKRA), termasuklah memastikan kemudahan-kemudahan asas dan pendapatan luar bandar meningkat. Selepas satu tahun setengah kita dapat lihat rekod peningkatan yang tertinggi dari segi pembangunan jalan raya, elektrik, bekalan air, dan rumah-rumah di luar bandar,” jelas beliau.

Dalam pada itu, Ketua Menteri Sabah Datuk Seri Musa Aman berkata setakat ini, beberapa geran komunal telah dikeluarkan di seluruh Sabah, termasuk di Salarom Taka (Nabawan) dan Lalampas (Tongod), dengan sokongan serta penglibatan penuh penduduk kampung.

Katanya inilah cara pemimpin Barisan Nasional berkhidmat untuk rakyat bagi memastikan golongan luar bandar dapat menikmati kehidupan lebih terjamin dan tidak lagi memikirkan tentang hal-hal pemilikan tanah untuk diwariskan di masa depan.

Sumber : Bernama

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Pemimpin Sabah dapat gelaran "Katak"

Gelaran "katak" telah biasa diungkapkan untuk mana -mana menteri yang suka bertukar parti. Di mata rakyat, pemimpin seperti itu adalah seorang yang tidak berpegangan kukuh dengan prinsipnya.

Walauapapun yang terjadi terhadap beliau, Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan di masa lampau bukanlah menjadi ukuran atau alasan atas perjuangan beliau yang hampir tidak berjaya.

Sebagai rakyat Sabah, saya dapati ramai daripada mereka memberi spekulasi dan ini adalah perkara biasa kepada rakyat terhadap pemimpin.

 Mengetahui hal rakyat dan perangai pemimpin adalah menjadi kritikan dan sebagai pemimpin , saya percaya mereka sebagai seorang yang berkaliber tinggi boleh menerima kritikan. Bagi rakyat Sabah umumnya, bukan saja masalah royalti minyak dari Persekutuan, tetapi banyak lagi isu di Sabah yang tidak diambil berat oleh pemimpin Sabah. Satu kenyataan yang saya sendiri boleh lihat dan merasainya. Walaupun pada dasarnya saya menghormati perjuangan beliau.

Mengapa nama seseorang pemimpin itu menjadi sebutan yang kurang senang di kalangan rakyat ??
Menurut akhbar diatas menyatakan " mengubah/berpindah ke parti lain untuk mencari penyelesaian". Penyelesaian tidak akan  dijumpai jika tingkahlaku seorang pemimpin tidak berubah. Membawa tingkahlaku lama ke parti baru bukanlah satu jalan yang bijak.

Beranikah Dr. Jeffrey mengaku bahawa semasa perjuangannya di  mana - mana parti yang lain sebelum ini  adalah bersih sebersihnya? Mengapa beliau harus ke Sarawak sebelum dapat meyakinkan rakyat di tanahnya sendiri? Kami rakyat Sabah juga ingin tahu mengapa beliau tidak menggunakan kuasanya untuk menyelesaikan isu di Sabah terlebih dahulu. Jika betul memperjuangakan untuk Sabah, sudah tentu beliau tidak perlu mengharapkan pemimpin dari Sarawak yang beliau sekarang ini bersama dalam Parti Star.
Kenapa dan menagapa ? Suara hati bagi pihak rakyat Sabah.

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Tan Sri Harris Mohd Salleh wants Sabah Law Association to reconsider objection to new courthouse

June 21, 2012  - KOTA KINABALU –

Former Chief Minister Tan Sri Harris Mohd Salleh is appealing to the Sabah Law Association (SLA) to reconsider its objection to build a new courthouse in Bukit Punai here.

Harris said in his statement when commenting on a report that SLA had urged the authorities to reconsider the decision to relocate the Kota Kinabalu (KK) courthouse to Bukit Punai, near the St Francis Convent Secondary School and Gaya Teachers’ Training Institute .

Harris gave as an example the Melaka courthouse which houses under one roof the High Court, the Sessions Court, the Magistrate’s Court and the Syariah Court, together with one library and one canteen.“It is built about 12km from the city and therefore there is no reason why the Sabah courthouse in the centre of busy KK City can’t be moved just a few kilometers away on a prominent area with no traffic jam,” Harris said.

He also said the new courthouse should also include the native and Syariah courts, a common library and a canteen.

Harris further said Bukit Punai has the following advantages: a commanding hilltop and surrounded by roads; the whole hill is about 25 acres, the government can always acquire any private land around the hill as it is not the question of the small area of the land; it is not congested and the 25 acres of land can be developed with beautiful landscaping with benches where lawyers and the public can take their recess time and relax.

“It is argued by fair consideration that Bukit Punai is the place for the courthouse in the next 50 years and beyond.

He said the SLA also questioned that land allocated was only five acres but the whole hill is about 20 to 25 acres and bounded by roads.

“Therefore, land is not a problem; surely the courthouse should receive priority over either the private or public sector requirements,” Harris said, adding that a courthouse must be in a prominent and dignified place.

“It should have the image that ‘orang salah’ just going to the court building feels ‘salah’ even before the trial.

Harris then said nevertheless, if the rest were private land, the government could just simply acquire it in the interest of the nation and Sabah.

“The motto that ‘service first before self’ is very appropriate in this case.”  He hoped SLA would reconsider their objection and support the site of the new Sabah courthouse

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SABAH BN BREAK-UP?

 Najib moves to delay GE-13 to 2013, offers extra RM1.5m to MPs

in the last lap to the 13th general election which must be held by mid next year, it looks like Prime Minister Najib Razak is resorting to 'money, money, money' to buy back a victory that more and more Malaysians believe will swing to Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim's Pakatan Rakyat coalition.

Najib had received a huge scare over the weekend on speculative news reports that Anwar would be announcing 6 BN defections into his PKR party, two of whom allegedly held seats in Parliament.

While this would not change the power equation, pundits expect the PKR coup to set in motion a domino effect as Sabah leaders fled the decaying BN, helping to pave the way for the country's first regime change in 55 years.

Unconfirmed 'carrots' to hold back straying MPs

Not surprisingly, news was soon leaked to the Umno-linked media that MPs would receive an additional RM1.5 million each after the Budget 13 was presented on September 28.

According to the Malaysian Insider, BN MPs who attended a pre-council meeting for the current parliamentary sitting confirmed such a plan was proposed by Najib but oddly, none would go on the record on the actual amount to be allocated. Several said that the funds “would be available upon request.”

The BN MPs were also more than keen to impart other information including that it would take up to three months for the projects to be identified and carried out. They also pointed out that the proposed second round of cash handouts under the Bantuan Rakyat 1 Malaysia or BR1M scheme would also take time to be executed if passed in Budget 2013.

"What this means is that Najib won't be calling GE-13 anytime soon. He is trying to delay the breakup of Sabah BN," PKR vice president and Batu MP Tian Chua told Malaysia Chronicle.

 Sabah is being watched closely and it can trigger a domino effect around the nation as other BN MPs cut ties with Umno to boost their chances of retaining their seats. Umno-BN is not the best brand name to carry in Malaysia right now and that's a fact

GE-13 next year, all eyes on Umno internal election

 the BN's 5-year mandate ends on automatically on March 28. The Election Commission has then 60 days to fix a date for the 13th general election, which must be held before June 28, 2013.

A guessing game as to the GE-13 date has left Malaysians as well as foreign investors wearied and disgusted with Najib's inability to make up his mind. However, the 58-year-old leader is facing an unprecedented loss in confidence and trust for his BN coalition, which has ruled Malaysia since 1957.

"Going by the hints and for the second BR1M to take effect, it looks like Najib is trying to signal GE-13 is next year. For  Pakatan,  cannot afford to relax our guard. Every day is a possible day for Najib to dissolve Parliament - so PKR must stay battle ready," PKR vice president Chua Jui Meng told Malaysia Chronicle.

"But it's another story at Umno, What happens now at their internal party election - who will form the new office bearers and get the coveted MP and ADUN seats? That is the bone that all the dogs so to speak will be fighting over from now on."

Indeed, it does look like Najib will face fire from all fronts, especially from his own party mates who are eager to thrash out who will make it onto the Umno list of 'winnable' candidates to contest seats at both the federal and state parliament.

Infighting, already simmering, and factions openly declaring their stand will test his ability to hold the party together. Just last week, former Tourism minister Abdul Kadir Sheikh Fadzir - perhaps smelling which way the wind was blowing - announced the formation of a new party Ikatan that aimed to revive the 'original' struggle of Umno and to work towards the creation of a 'Bangsa Malaysia'.

 Referring to former premier Mahathir Mohamad, the only Umno stalwart left on whose support Najib is now depending on to survive the political maelstroms from within and outside their party.

source from : Malaysia Chronicle

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