STAR to resurrect controversial provision

The practice of 'nominating' representatives to the
Sabah State Legislative Assembly was discontinued
when Umno-led Barisan Nasional took over in 1994.
KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah Chapter of the State Reform Party (STAR) will appoint six nominated members to the State Legislative Assembly if the party led by Jeffrey Kitingan secures enough seats to topple the Barisan Nasional (BN) government in the coming general election.
This nominated members will be in addition to the 60 elected state lawmakers. Nomination of unelected members to the assembly is provided for in the state constitution but was dispensed with when Umno-BN came into power.
“We (a Star government) need professional and credible non-governmental organisation personalities in the assembly, “ STAR deputy chairman Daniel John Jambun told FMT in Kota Kinabalu yesterday.
He said the nominated members will not necessarily be linked to any political party as their function would be to act as a check and balance to the government for the betterment of the people.
Article 14(c) of the Sabah constitution empowers the Head of State to appoint up to six more members to the 60-seat State Legislative Assembly and they would be known as `Nominated Members’.
Nominated members have the same powers as their elected counterpart and they are also eligible to be appointed as ministers and assistant ministers.
The constitution provides that any Sabahan aged 21 years and above and who is resident in the state is qualified to be elected as an elected member or a nominated member of the State Legislative Assembly.
Umno-BN discontinued practice
The Sabah Alliance, Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (Berjaya) and Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) all had nominated assemblymen/women in their governments.
Those nominated were usually from the party that won the election.
The practice was discontinued when Umno-led Barisan Nasional took over, by default, the state government from PBS in 1994.
There were times when the legality of the provision was questioned by politicians, including members of the state assembly, all claiming that the law was null and void.
However the provision is still intact in the state constitution.
During the previous government, political parties that won the election by razor blade margins, always made use of the provision to boost their numbers in the assembly.
The appointment of nominated assembly representatives has been a magnet for controversy.
During the PBS government the swearing-in of a nominated assemblyman as a Deputy Chief Minister hit a snag when an elected representative protested the Cabinet-level posting.
The Barisan Nasional coalition has also eyed the provision to help reward component party members who do not contest in an election.
Sabah MIC wants seat
Last month, the Sabah branch of the Malaysian Indian Congress called on the state government to to give the party representation via a nominated seat in the assembly or a Senator post at federal government level.
“It is about time that Sabah MIC be given greater recognition for its role in the Barisan Nasional,” said Sabah MIC Youth chief Taren Sunil Manoharan, adding that other BN component parties are also seeking more representation.
Singling out the spirit of the Sabah state constitution when it was first drafted, he reiterated that the nominated assembly seats were created mainly for minority groups residing in Sabah, to give them a chance to have a say in the state assembly.
He also said it is a fact that Indians had previously been appointed as nominated assemblymen.

45 comments:

  1. It's not possible for Star to win in Sabah if they cannot cooperate with other opposition parties.

    http://sabah-go-green.blogspot.com/

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    Replies
    1. Star wants to be a hero...maybe Star will not cooperate with other opposition party specially PR..

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    2. STAR is stupid to think that they could win the election without cooperating with other opposition parties.

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    3. Star merupakan satu parti yang baru di Sabah, bukan seperti parti BN dan PR yang sudah lama bertapak.

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    4. The oppositions are still bickering with each other. BN will win!

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    5. peluang Star di Sabah masih belum lagi cerah.

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    6. Star berhentilah bermimpi untuk kekal lama di Sabah.

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    7. STAR masih baru, bukan mudah untuk diterima lagi.

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    8. Masih percayakah dengan JK yang selalu lompat parti?

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  2. If all opposition parties compete at once during the next GE, there will be a multi-cornered fight and it will no doubt split the votes for all.

    http://sabah-go-green.blogspot.com/

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    1. Mengembalikan 6 Adun yang dilantik adalah satu keperluan munasabah yang dicalar oleh UMNO selama ini. Mudah-mudahan STAR dengan kekuatanNYA yang ajaib boleh memenangi PRU13.Tetap**

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    2. if that's happen, then BN sabah will win..

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    3. All opposition parties should cooperate with each other since they have similar goal which is to bring down BN/UMNO.

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    4. Tapi nampaknya setiap parti pembangkang hanya mementingkan kebaikan diri, semua enggan bekerjasama. Mereka hanya mahukan kemenangan untuk parti sendiri supaya mereka bolelh menguasai Sabah, bukan mereka ikhlas mahu berjuang untuk rakyat Sabah.

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    5. Parti pembangkang hanya mementingkan diri sendiri sahaja.. Ada agenda sendiri.

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    6. keadaan ini cuma memberi peluang cerah kepada BN terus menang.

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  3. Ada saja yang ingin dilakukan, kita tgo la macam mana nanti.

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    Replies
    1. tunggu dan lihat sajalah apa kah perkembangan dan hasilnya nanti.

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  4. Mahu buat penilaian sekarang masih awal lagi. Kita kena tunggu sehingga semuanya selesai baru ada cerita.

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    Replies
    1. wait and see until 13GE...

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    2. Kita tunggulah dan lihat sahaja kedatangan PRU, tengok siapa punya spekulasi lebih tepat.

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  5. Wawasan Star adalah Sabah 1 drpd 3 rakan kongsi sama-taraf dengan Malaya dan Sarawak.
    Sabah adalah negara merdeka di dalam Malaysia dan berautonomi dan bukan dikuasai oleh orang luar.
    Sabah bukan 1 drpd 13 negeri dalam Malaysia.

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    Replies
    1. wawasan Star atau JK?

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    2. Wawasan tu memang bagus dalam mengembalikan kuasa autonomi kepada Sabah. Tapi DDJK ada peluang untu lakukan perubahan tapi bukankah beliau sendiri menyeleweng? Pemimpin Sabah kalau pasal duit saja terus rakyat dilupakan. Tengoklah apa yang terjadi sebelum ini.

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    3. Agenda JK sendiri untuk mendapat kuasa di Sabah.

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  6. adakah Star benar2 yakin akan dapat membentuk kerajaan negeri yang baru selepas pru13 nanti?

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    1. The people will decide STAR fate.

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    2. Jika ren satu daripada penyokong STAR sudah tentu undi ren adalah kemenangan besar untuk STAR.Tetap**

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    3. Janji kosong saja star, mcm2 janji di beri belum tau tertunai.

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  7. pasti akan berlaku pertandingan 3 atau 4 penjuru pada pru13 nanti..

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    Replies
    1. With the 3 or 4 corner fight, BN/UMNO sure to win again this coming election.

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    2. ia akan berlaku jika pembangkang tak bekerjasama.

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    3. Tidak mungkin pembangkang boleh kerjasama. Masing ada objectif untuk dicapai.

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  8. Dream on STAR. You will never in without cooperating with other opposition parties.

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    Replies
    1. I don't think PR is sincere. Why they want to contest in Sabah when they can have the west M'sia? Let the local oppositions do their part.

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  9. Star tidak ikhlas membantu rakyat Sabah, lebih baik kita teruskan sokongan kepada BN.

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  10. STAR jangan memberi janji manis yang semata-mata untuk menarik pengundi.

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  11. STAR masih baru, ikhlas atau tidak memang tidak mudah diramal.

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    Replies
    1. ya, susah juga mau diramalkan. lagi pun Jeffrey ni banyak rekod lompat parti.

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  12. star mau dapatkan sokongan, tapi bagaimana dengan pembangkang yang lain, adakah mereka akan bekerjasama atau sebaliknya.

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    Replies
    1. sehingga kini parti-parti pembangkang masih lagi gagal untuk bersatu.

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  13. rakyat pasti dapat menilai sendiri parti mana yang terbaik untuk mereka pilih.

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  14. Mahu menjatuhkan kerajaan BN bukannya mudah. Tambahan lagi STAR yang mana parti baru dipinjam dari Sarawak.

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  15. Kalau kita lihat pun parti pembangkang tetap dengan apa yang mereka perjuangkan. Tidak ada yang menarik sebenarnya.

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  16. Tapi yang saya pasti mengenai sokongan antara dua parti pembangkang di Sabah STAR atau SAPP. STAR lebih diminati berbanding dengan SAPP. tidak pasti kenapa adakah mungkin kerana sejarah presiden mereka atau sebaliknya.

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