Focus must shift to East Malaysia, says Dr Jeffrey

TUARAN: The United Borneo Front sees the Federal Government development priority as committing “gross injustice” for Sabah and Sarawak, hence it must shift its focus most of its development funds to the Borneo states as soon as possible.

 

In a speech at a UBF Tea Party in Kg. Telibong here last week, UBF’s Chairman, Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan, pointed out what he calls the great anomaly in development allocation in the country in which the federal government collects RM15 to RM18 billion in taxes from Sabah per year, not yet including the 5 percent Sabah is supposed to get as royalty for its oil.

 

“And yet Sabah and Sarawak combined only got a miserable RM9 billion for the development for the whole of the 10^th Malaysia plan!” he said. “Compare this the enormous amount of RM100 billion allocated for Peninsular for the same period! This kind of deliberate development discrimination is a case of gross injustice that brings us to the brink of wickedness – a tyranny which we in Sabah and Sarawak shouldn’t tolerate!”

 

He pointed out that this RM100 billion allocation doesn’t yet include the RM36.6 billion set aside for the proposed Greater Kuala lUmpur Mass Rail Transit and the RM5 billion budgeted for the 100-storey 1Malaysia tower. “A particular reason why Sabah and Sarawak needs more development is the fact that it has more land areas. The Peninsular covers only an area of only 130,495 sw. km compared to Sabah and Sarawak combined area of 328,564 sq. km.,” he revealed. “Tuaran district alone is 1,165 sq. km and is bigger than the state of Penang which is 1,039 sw. km and Perlis which is only 816 sq. km. In terms of sealed roads, the Peninsular already has 21,300 km. whereas Sabah and Sarawak combined had a total of only 6,000 km after almost half a century in Malaysia!”

 

Dr. Jeffrey had informed the enthusiastic crowd of Kg. Telibong that they had the luxury of living next to the Kota Kinabalu – Tamparuli trunk road whereas earlier in the day, the UBF convoy had to go through a very bumpy ride on gravel road from Kg. Madang in Topokoon, which was just 15km from them. He said this small problem could have been solved many years ago if only the federal government had more compassion for the people of Sabah. “They are not giving us even ten percent of what they are taking away from us,” he said.

 

“If united, the people of Sabah and Sarawak can change the Federal Government in Putrajaya and force the respective State and Federal Governments to re-focus and shift the development from West Malaysia to the Borneo States of Sabah and Sarawak,” he said. “The present BN Government was ‘saved’ from downfall by the support of MPs from Sabah and Sarawak, but it is not thankful to the people of Sabah.”

 

Jeffrey added that it is not acceptable that after 48 years of independence and partnership in Malaysia, Sabah has descended to become the poorest State in the country. “It has been confirmed by the world Bank that 40% of all the abject poor in Malaysia are living in Sabah,” he said. “In many rural areas there are no piped water, no electricity, no sealed roads, if there are roads they are in pathetic conditions with potholes.”

 

He appealed to the people to know the concept behind UBF’s Borneo Agenda, which is to get rights and autonomy for Sabah and Sarawak.  “If we are united the Borneo Agenda can be easily achieved. The MPs from the two states should seriously think more about promoting our state rights and interests, and to get a better deal for Sabah and Sarawak,” he said. “With the Borneo Agenda in  the Borneo States will progress in leaps and bounds in terms of economic and infrastructure development, and we will restore our positions as equal partners with West Malaysia in the Federation.”

 

“If we believe the BN government cannot fulfill this dream, we have no other choice but to create a bigger political tsunami in the next general election and put in place a new government,” he said.