Kota Kinabalu: “Umno should not have a place in Sabah politics as it has meddled, manipulated and damaged Sabah. Many non-fixed deposit voters in Sabah do not want Umno in Sabah too” said Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan, Chairman of STAR Sabah echoing the call by the Chief Mnister of Sarawak that there is no place for Umno in the Sarawak's politics.
Tan Sri Adenan is spot on in saying that the politics of Umno is unsuitable for Sarawak. Similarly, the race and religion politics of Umno with its own version of Islam is not suitable for Sabah and has caused disharmony and its divide and rule politics have fragmented Sabah society.
Pehin Sri Taib was right in advising his successor to keep Umno and its brand of racially divisive politics out of Sarawak and standing tough defending Sarawak’s interests. His successor, Adenan, appears to be doing a fine job keeping Umno out.
Sabah and Sarawak are as far different from Malaya as the South China Sea that geographically separate them and culturally and ethnically they are not connected with the Malayans.
For its own political game and to remain in power, Umno has irreparably damaged Sabah with Project IC and the dubious issuance of ICs and MyKads to foreigners and entering them into the electoral rolls.
Now, Umno has been trying to make Borneons as “rumpun Melayu” while playing the race and religion game with Umno's version of Islam. In reality, a Borneo Melayu will not be treated equally as a Malayan malay, much less a Borneo non-muslim bumiputera.
As it was said that Sarawak should best be left to Sarawakians “who understand it best”, Sabah should best be left to Sabahans “who understand it best” and not Sabahans under the feet and control of Malayan leaders.
Umno in Sabah only “understands issues pertaining to the interest of Malays and Umno's version of Islam and their party interests” and does not bother about the feelings of the other component parties much less the ordinary Sabahans. The power-sharing agreed in Sabah BN is a good point where all decisions and positions are dominated if not decided by Umno.
There is no better example of PM Najib’s own “1-Malaysia” slogan than Sabah and Sarawak where many families have members of different races and religions. Yet, is being attacked and bombarded daily by race and religion extremism imported from Malaya.
It is ridiculous and incomprehensible that Sarawakians and Sabahans are allowed to use the word “Allah” while in the Borneo States but are barred the minute they step on Malayan soil.
Development in Sabah is not only backward but lags behind Malaya 50 years. If the neglect in the yearly Budgets continue for the next 50 years, it will lag behind 100 years with no clean treated water, no sealed roads, no electrification and other basic amenities and no proper Pan Borneo Highway, at least until 2022.
In Sarawak, the BN government has insisted that the Sarawak portion of the Pan Borneo Highway is to be awarded to a Sarawak consortium and built by Sarawak contractors. In Sabah, the Umno-led BN government has done nothing for Sabah contractors and the Sabah portion of the Highway will be given to a Malayan and Umno-linked group leaving Sabah contractors to fight for sub-sub-contracts and crumbs.
The same goes for Petronas contracts in Sabah. “Is it a wonder that Sabah is the poorest state in Malaysia?
Most important of all, Sabah Umno leaders are unable to defend the rights and interests of Sabah and Sabahans. Sarawak BN leaders have been forthright and have articulated correctly the basis of the formation of Malaysia and the rights of Sabah and Sarawak as equal partners in the Federation of Malaysia.
On the other hand, Sabah Umno leaders follow their Umno masters in Putrajaya that Sabah is 1 of 13 States of Malaya and that the oil and gas that comes from the soil of Sabah belongs to Malays, Malaya and the federal government. These Sabah Umno leaders dare not even voice the rights and interests of Sabah let alone defend them.
“Is it a wonder that many Sabahans do not want Umno in Sabah too?
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