BN partners eyeing our seats : Sapp
Malaysiakini.com
Jul 16, 2008
Tony Thien

Sabah Barisan Nasional components Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) and Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) have ‘a vested interest’ in demanding that Sabah Progressive Party (Sapp) be expelled from the ruling coalition.
MCPX

richard yong sapp sec genThese parties are after all the government posts that have allocated to Sapp, its secretary-general Richard Yong claimed in a press statement.

“The people of Sabah should examine the real motive of (BN) component parties who are frantically calling for the ouster of Sapp from the coalition,” he said.

He was referring to comments by PBS deputy president Maximum Ongkili who had described Sapp as a ‘political bitch’ for allegedly flirting with the opposition while remaining in BN.

Yong said PBS could not wait for Sapp to be thrown out “so that they will have the government positions to be vacated by Sapp representatives to dish out to their leaders”.

He said Sapp’s intention to move a motion of no confidence in the prime minister is not an isolated move to gain notoriety, but in line with its struggle for the rights of Malaysians in Sabah.

abdullah ahmad badawi and sapp sabahThat the premier has been ineffective and only paying lip-service to Sabah’s interests acknowledged by parties in the state, Yong said.

BN leaders, including those from Umno, LDP and PBS, have been calling on the premier to act more expeditiously on issues affecting Sabah, including illegal immigrants, regional development imbalances and poverty eradication.

Yong reminded  leaders from Sabah who hold federal government posts not to lose sight of their obligations to the electorate in the state who had made their elevation possible.

“It is disappointing to the Sabah people that leaders like Maximus Ongkili and VK Liew have become so ‘federalised’ or ‘domesticated’ that they have become apologists for Kuala Lumpur,” Yong said.

maximus johnity ongkili“So eager are they to please, that a learned and supposedly cultured person like Maximus (right) went on record to describe a component party as a member of the canine species.”

Casting doubt on the commitment of PBS and LDP in championing Sabah’s interests, Yong said: “If indeed they still do, they should find commonality with Sapp’s move which is aimed at resolving long-standing and grave issues instead of calling for Sapp’s blood.”

They should also acknowledge that  the parties are pursuing the same objectives through different paths, he said, describing the intensity agitation against Sapp as “a simple act of self-preservation”.

'Wavering commitment'

On the resignation of PBS supreme council member Dr Chong En Liong, who has been active in drawing attention to issues related to illegal immigrants, Yong claimed that he had been told to stop talking.

sabah illegal immigrant“PBS elected representatives and other leaders have been conspicuously quiet in recent weeks. One is inclined to conclude that a gag order has been slapped on them even on issues of Sabah rights,” he said.

“Is this not a reflection of the PBS wavering on its commitment ? Is it not a clear indication of self-preservation?”

Recent promises by the premier to inject development funds into Sabah may only be to pull wool over the eyes of the people “in this climate in which a government is rapidly losing the people’s trust”.

Yong asked what has happened to the RM1 billion promised several months ago.

“Is there any truth that the money has mostly been disbursed through the various Umno divisions in a move to pacify these grassroot leaders and to prevent a revolt in view of the Umno elections in December?” he asked.

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