Quit if you disagree, ministers told

A former Sabah chief minister hit out at ministers who
do not practise collective responsibility.

KOTA KINABALU: Former Sabah chief minister Harris Salleh has slammed federal ministers who do not subscribe to the principle of collective responsibility.

He said ministers who criticise the government should resign from the posts.

The target of his anger was Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Bernard Dompok who has pinned the blame for election malpractices in the country on the National Registration Department (NRD).

Dompok, who is also president of the United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation (Upko), a Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition member, sparked a backlash when he said that the Election Commission (EC) was not to be blamed for the rampant electoral malpractices in the state.

He was among several state and federal ministers who have come out in support of the government after Malaysians from all walks of life came out in the thousands to rally for Bersih 2.0′s call for free and fair elections.

“The EC is doing its job based on the law and policies of the government of the day. The government of the day means ministers…,” Harris said.

He also touched on the massive number of illegal immigrants in the state and allegations that NRD aided legimitising these foreigners.

He said there “…is no evidence that an Indonesian or Filipino who walked into the state today or tomorrow will receive an identity card”.

“Strictly speaking, nearly 90% of Sabahans are immigrants. Therefore the accusation against the NRD is uncalled for,” he said.

Harris also accused Dompok of shirking his responsibility as a member of the government when he accused the NRD of registering illegal immigrants as voters.

“As practised by many countries, any minister disagreeing with the decisions of the (federal-state) Cabinet can resign,” he said.

Harris also said the Bersih 2.0 campaign against the EC was “wrong”. The civil movement has urged the EC to implement electoral reforms.

The movement, which is a coalition of 62 NGOs, has submitted a eight-point demand for reforms to the EC

The EC, in the runup to the July 9 Bersih 2.0 rally, had dismissed the demands and accused Bersih of aligning itself with the opposition.

Umno-BN and right-wing Perkasa had also slammed Bersih’s call for free and fair elections.