Shafie : Sabah deserves some reward
Malaysiakini.com
Mar 31, 2008
Chan Kok Leong

Sabah Umno’s No 2 Shafie Apdal reiterated the disappointment of fellow Sabahans today over the lack of ministerial positions for his state compatriots. MCPX

shafie apdalAfter his first briefing at the unity, culture, arts and heritage ministry in Putrajaya today, Shafie said: “Sabah has been contributing very well since the 1999 general election. In 2004 and even this year, Sabah has done very well so there should be some reward for the state.”

He was asked how many ministerial positions Sabah is eyeing, given that the cabinet members have already been selected and sworn in.  
“We have made our views known to the prime minister and this issue has already dragged on a bit. But we will have to wait and see. Anyway, we are just voicing the grassroots’ call to have more representation in the cabinet,” he said.

On when Abdullah Ahmad Badawi would meet BN Sabah, Shafie said he was unsure as it depends on the prime minister’s schedule.

“We are not setting the date, he is. We will just wait. His schedule is very tight but we can wait.”

dr maximus ongkiliStar today quoted Parti Bersatu Sabah deputy president Dr Maximus Ongkili as saying: “There is a gap between what we asked for and what we got.”

He said that initially Abdullah had given Sabah three ministerial posts and two posts of deputy minister, later picking two more deputy ministers from the state.

“More leaders felt that Sabah should be given more ministerial positions,” said Ongkili, the science, information and technology minister.

The third minister from Sabah, Bernard Dompok, said it is not just a case of cabinet positions as Sabahans feel shortchanged because certain promises have not been kept.

Among the “promises” were bigger federal allocations for rural development, poverty eradication, water and electricity, and solutions to the state’s illegal immigrant problem.

PAS watching situation

Abdullah’s cabinet was hit by two resignations from Sabah within a week after it was announced.

Sabah Chief Minister Musa Aman’s brother, Anifah turned down his appointment as deputy minister of transport hours after this was announced on March 18.

He was followed by deputy minister Abdul Ghapur Salleh (Natural Resources and Environment Ministry), eight days after he had accepted the post.

PAS Youth, meanwhile, said the Sabah situation “if unresolved could lead to Barisan Nasional’s downfall”.

salahuddin ayub 01In a statement today, Youth chief Salahuddin Ayub said it was amusing that, so soon after the prime minister had to resolve the appointment of the Terengganu menteri besar, he has now to try and “convince each of the Sabah MPs not to hop (to other) parties”.

“If BN is not careful, it could lose a country,” the statement read.

“PAS Youth believes that the Sabah MPs won’t jump ship now but Sabahans are eagerly waiting (for) their party to leave the BN coalition and switch to Barisan Alternatif.”

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