Posted on

Three questions for Abdullah when he launches Sabah Development Corridor on Jan 29

Sabah Chief Minister, Datuk Seri Musa Aman was full of hype yesterday about the Sabah Development Corridor (SDC) to be launched by the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi on January 29.

Musa claimed that the SDC, which is to span an 18-year period from 2008 to 2025, is “special” and different from other regional corridor developments in the country in that it would extend to the whole of Sabah instead of being confined to only one area.

Musa has however not explained why the Sabah SDC is the last “corridor” to be announced and launched by the Prime Minister, when it should be the first as Sabah has the worst poverty rate in the whole country.

This is one of the three questions Abdullah should answer when he comes to Sabah on January 29 to launch the SDC, viz:

How the SDC will eradicate poverty in Sabah, which is the worst of all states in the country. In the 1994 Sabah state general election manifesto, Barisan Nasional promised a “Sabah Baru” to reduce the poverty level in Sabah from 33 per cent in 1994 to zero in the year 2000. Continue reading “Three questions for Abdullah when he launches Sabah Development Corridor on Jan 29”

Posted on

Abdullah – declare Wednesday January 23 as first Thaipusam national public holiday

The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi should immediately declare Wednesday, January 23, 2008 as the first Thaipusam national public holiday instead of just thinking about it.

Abdullah told a Ponggal Festival event at Bukit Bintang last night that he would consider declaring Thaipusam a national public holiday.

In the past decades, both inside and outside Parliament, DAP has been calling for Thaipusam to be declared a public holiday and not just a state holiday in Penang, Perak, Selangor, Negri Sembilan and Johor.

As there is nothing more to consider, Abdullah should immediately announce Wednesday as the first Thaipusam public holiday so that Thaipusam could be celebrated by all Malaysians throughout the country beginning on January 23, 2008.

Posted on

DAP KDM Declaration – let KDM not end up as outsiders in the land of their ancestors

The launching of the DAP KDM (Kadazan-Dusun-Murut) Declaration at the DAP KDM convention today is a historic moment in the political history of Sabah and Malaysia as it represents a stirring call for justice for the Kadazan-Dusun-Murut community to ensure that 44 years after the 20-Point Agreement on Sabah’s formation of Malaysia, the largest community in the state does not end up at the bottom of the heap as to become “outsiders” in their own land!

I am very impressed by the seriousness, fervour and sense of mission of the DAP KDM leaders who took the initiative to formulate this historic KDM Declaration, as is evident by the commitment and sense of mission demonstrated by the five presenters at the convention on the plight and promises facing the KDM community and which formed the basis of the DAP KDM Declaration, viz:

1. The Kadazan-Dusun-Murut (KDM) Crisis – Pastor Jeffrey Kumin (DAP Karambunai branch chairman)

2. Squatter colonies of illegal immigrants and Sabah land problems – Steven Jimbangan (DAP Kepayan branch chairman)

3. Kadazan-Dusun-Murut (KDM) Unity – Paul Kadau (DAP Interior leader)

4. Poverty and Education in Sabah – Justin Sabran (DAP Kuamut branch chairman)

5. Impact of illegal immigrant presence to Kadzan-Dusun-Muruts (KDM) – Edward Mujie (DAP Tamparuli branch chairman)

The DAP KDM Declaration in a most dramatic and eloquent manner highlights the grave problem of the political, economic, educational, social, cultural and religious marginalization of the KDM community when it posed the question, “Can a KDM ever become a Sabah Chief Minister again?”

This is a question which every KDM, nay every Sabahan and every Malaysian, should ask as its brings to the forefront the grave problem of the marginalization of the KDM community as to become the new underclass in Sabah and Malaysia. Continue reading “DAP KDM Declaration – let KDM not end up as outsiders in the land of their ancestors”