STAR promises sweeping reforms

Dr Jeffrey Kitingan has promised to create five 'states'
within Sabah and to decentralise land matters if
STAR forms the next government.
By Luke Rintod of FMT
KOTA KINABALU: The country is headed for dramatic changes and a sweeping reforms if a loose election pact called United Borneo Alliance (UBA) led by State Reform Party (STAR) is to form the next Sabah state government.

Sabah STAR chairman, Jeffrey Kitingan, promised that if the alliance wins a simple majority in the 60-seat state assembly at the coming general election, the new government would reclaim its rights as a “negara” and an autonomous region with special rights as was originally agreed and not be just one of 13 states of Malaysia as it has evolved.
He indicated that the state governor would be re-titled Yang Di-Pertua Negara as it was originally until it was amended to a lesser title of Yang di-Pertua Negeri (in late 1970s or early 1980s).

“We are ready to administer the state. STAR would not only change the government, we will change all systems in accordance to STAR vision in line to reinstate our status as “nation” and reclaim our past glory,” he said in his policy speech at the party’s first national convention held here today.

Kitingan said STAR will implement its policy to create five states or territories within Sabah each to be led by a governor.

“These states would have their respective council or exco, comparable to the states in Malaya or Peninsular Malaysia,” he said adding that in the past Sabah had even participated as a country in Olympics.

Currently UBA consists of STAR, Usno group, Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) and the remnants of Sabah People’s Front (SPF) which announced its commitment to UBA today.

SPF, a small Sabah party, was handed over to a Sarawak group recently, leaving its 38,000 members in Sabah in limbo. Some of its former leaders and members have joined STAR or had since aligned themselves with UBA.

In his 75-minute speech Kitingan said STAR’s sweeping reforms would only be revealed in full when its manifesto is launched soon.

200,000 members

He however, disclosed that a STAR-led state government would decentralise the management of land in the vast Borneon state.

“Each of the five states would have their Land Director to manage land matters in their respective areas. On top of this, we will establish a Land Tribunal, a Land and NCR Commission, and a State Native Land Foundation…” he told the more than 2,000 party delegates, including scores from Sarawak.

The delegates comprised 30 STAR leaders from each of the 60 state constituencies in Sabah, which had lately seen a steady increase in numbers supporting the still fragmented opposition front.

Also present at the convention were STAR president, Dr Dripin Sakoi, its founder, Dr Patau Rubis, secretary-general, Donny Ruing, Sabah chapter secretary Guandee Kohoi and Usno leaders led by Leong Chau Chu as well as a three-member SAPP delegation led by deputy president Amde Sidek.

Also in attendance were officers of Malaysia’s chapter of Transparency International (TI) whose presidentPaul Low Seng Kuan, later joined in the afternoon session which saw STAR’s aspiring candidates signing “election integrity oath” with TI.

Earlier in his welcoming speech, Kohoi, who is also the convention organising chairman, told the spirited delegates that Sabah STAR’s membership had surpassed the 200,000 mark. The party was launched in January 2012.

“We have also formed our divisions in all 26 parliamentary areas including one in Federal Territory Labuan, and we have successfully established coordinating committees in all 60 state constituencies.

“We will launch the last three divisional committees in Silam, Semporna and Kalabakan by this month, and that completes it all,” he said adding that reception by the Sabahans to the party’s struggle had been overwhelming.

‘Borneo Youth Oath’

Kitingan in his policy speech also disclosed that since the inception of United Borneo Front (UBF), an NGO, in December 2010, it had held more than 3,000 talks or “Borneo tea parties, inspired after the Boston tea party in United States where local leaders revolt against colonial British empire then.

The well-organised convention also saw an inspiring speech by STAR Sabah Youth Leader, Hasmin Azroy Abdullah, who called on Sabahan youths to rise not only to support the Borneo Agenda but to prepare themselves as future leader of the nation.

Delivering a fast 30-minute speech he called “Sumpah Pemuda Borneo” or Borneo Youth Oath, Hasmin, a former teacher, said in order for Sabah to regain its past glory, genuine Sabahans must unite and fight for their rights and the future of their generation.

“Let us take this responsibility to save our state from being continously hegemonised by Barisan Nasional. Let us become a courageous, knowledgeable and committed people so we may not be hoodwinked into poverty and oblivion.

“Sabah is a rich state, and yet the people are the poorest. The per capita income of Singapore now stands at USD57,000, Brunei at USD50,500 while Malaysia’s is only at USD15,000, and what more to Sabah the poorest…” Hasmin said.

Star president, Sakoi, will close the convention later this evening after delegates debate Kitingan’s policy speech during which they are expected to proclaim him ‘Bapa Pejuang Sabah dan Hak-Hak Rakyat Sabah’ (Father of Sabah Fighters and the State Peoples’ Rights).

35 comments:

  1. okey ka mengharapkan changes yang begitu besar sekali gus,tidak dapat imagine masa proses tu akan rise lebih banyak isu sampingan....apalah future Sabahan di tangan pakatan...

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    1. Tidak perlu percaya dengan STAR ini. Cuma janji PRU13 saja itu.

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    2. Kalau kita dapat fikirkan logik jugakan. Kalau pakatan mengambil alih bagaimana dengan pembangunan yang telah dibuat dan dijanjikan itu? Adakah akan terlaksana selepas diambil alih atau dibiarkan dan buat pembangunan lain.

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    3. Bukan kah ini akan menyebabkan pembaziran berlaku nanti. Projek bukan RM1-RM10 tapi projek Berjuta-juta. Memang pembaziran duit rakyat akan berlaku bila perubahan kerajaan berlaku.

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    4. STAR dengan pemimpin lompat ini mampukah mengubah Sabah ini tanpa ada pengurusan yang baik. Dimana pengalaman mereka ini. Tidak tahu lagi apa akan jadi kepada Sabah selepas itu. Jadi fikirkan sebaiknya sebelum memilih kerajaan lain.

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    5. Pemimpin STAR saja sudah tidak boleh di percayai..

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  2. baik memberitahu macam mana pakatan dpat mengubah suai polisi baru utk Sabahan,kita perlu pelan yg teliti bukan budak-budak main pasir skrg ni...

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    1. ya, baik mereka jelaskan apa yang mereka laksanakan untuk Sabah daripada hanya mengkritik.

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    2. Tiada apa-apa yang mereka dapat ubah di Sabah.. sebab agenda mereka hanya untuk menjatuhkan BN dan pemimpin dia mau jadi KM.

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  3. Sabahan tidak mahu harapan kosong dengan plan yang begitu unggul...lebih tinggi harapan lagi sakit dijatuh.

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    1. jgn berikan harapan kosong kepada Sabahab.

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    2. Harapan yang di beri oleh Star hanya harapan kosong, sekarang syok lah dengar, tapi belum tau lagi semua yang di janji dapat di tunaikan.

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  4. SO WE JUST CONTINUE TO BE MALAYAN COLONIES IN MALAYSIA AFTER ALL THE BIG NOISE?

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  5. i have doubts whether Star could actually fulfil their promises if they become the government.

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    1. tak boleh percaya sgt dgn janji2 Star.

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    2. mereka hanya banyak mengkritik dan mencari kesalahan orang saja.

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  6. The series of populist promises of opposition in general are poorly designed and merely aimed at gaining popularity among voters, without giving serious thought to the country's financial status, said a political analyst.

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    1. These promises are a political gimmick and a ploy to win over the votes of the younger generation struggling to build their lives by paying back education loans and considering buying a house and a car, said Dr Mohd Azizuddin Mohd Sani.

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    2. The Dean of the School of International Studies of Universiti Utara Malaysia said this was definitely an election strategy as such promises are obviously attractive to lure the young to vote for Pakatan.

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    3. Cheaper cars, abolition of toll, free education and a minimum wage of RM4,000 for every family will lessen their burden. This is one of the election promises of Pakatan. Although seen as an alternative to Barisan Nasional's policy, the only thing that worries many critics is the absence of a mechanism, formula or approach to implementing it.

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    4. The opposition so far, has not provided enough information and a formula on how to implement the policy.To counter such promises, Dr Mohd Azizuddin said, the ruling government had to come out with an attractive agenda and a new policy.

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    5. If not, the people will buy Pakatan's idea and vote for them because promises like scrapping PTPTN (National Higher Education Fund Corporation) and providing for cheaper cars and lower fuel prices are attractive agendas. Psychologically, Malaysians love something free and cheap.

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    6. Admitting that free education is not a fantasy and can be done, Dr Mohd Azizuddin, however, said that the country could possibly face a deficit as the government has to spend much money to provide the funds.

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    7. Therefore, The Opposiiton, if they come to power, will increase the tax on individuals and companies, like how Sweden and Norway have raised income tax on workers, he said.

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    8. If PTPTN is scrapped, the government will have to bear the loss of RM43 billion and abolishing duty for cars will reduce the country's tax revenue by RM4.6 billion a year, he added.

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    9. Dr Mohd Azizuddin said comprehensive studies were needed before implementing such policies as people still want more information, especially on the mechanism and formula, pertaining to the proposed policies.

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    10. If they are practical, proceed to implement them. But if they are impractical, better not to so, and please do not promise the people something that cannot be achieved.

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    11. Even Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and other leaders have expressed "serious doubts" over the opposition's election plans as their approach only shows that Pakatan is only interested in getting to office.

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  7. "Sabah STAR chairman, Jeffrey Kitingan, promised that if the alliance wins a simple majority in the 60-seat state assembly at the coming general election, the new government would reclaim its rights as a “negara”"

    sebagai pemimpin paling tamak di Malaysia dengan membawa gelaran raja katak, sudah tentulah Jeffrey akan meletakkan calon parti beliau di semua kerusi di Sabah.. jangan harap la pembangkang2 lain boleh berunding untuk mendapatkan kerjasama dari beliau.. misi Jeffrey cuma satu, iaitu mahu menjadi perdana menteri untuk Sabah..

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    1. JK ni memang dikenali dengan rekod lompat parti.

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  8. "“We are ready to administer the state. STAR would not only change the government, we will change all systems in accordance to STAR vision in line to reinstate our status as “nation” and reclaim our past glory,” he said in his policy speech at the party’s first national convention held here today."

    si Jeffrey ni cakap saja lebih tapi takut bertindak.. dia lebih suka jika rakyat saja yang bertindak.. lihat saja, beliau consistent memperjuangkan isu Borneonisasi tapi yang bertindak untuk mendapatkan keadilan bagi Sabah adalah dua orang rakyat biasa sabah sendiri, bukannya beliau.. Jeffrey hanya jadi pemerhati dari jauh.

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  9. memang patut la Jeffrey mempunyai rekod ditahan dibawah akta ISA.. niat beliau sangat tidak baik untuk sebuah negara seperti Malaysia.. patut la orang semenanjung membenci orang Sabah dan begitu juga sebaliknya.. semuanya hasil dari hasutan2 pemimpin politik seperti Jeffrey..

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  10. star dilihat sukar untuk bersatu dengan parti lain..itulah masalahnya...

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  11. star di Sarawak tidak dapat sambutan dan di Sabah entah diterima atau tidak.

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