Star denies lacking in vision and mission

By Joe Fernandez

KOTA KINABALU: The State Reform Party (Star) has denied allegations by the Deputy Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat, Ronald Kiandee, that the party “has no vision and mission, lacks ideas and is struggling to the extent of harping on the same old ideas”.

Star, in a press statement, clarified that it’s a party of the young generation with a clear vision, mission, objectives, and goals and “this is reflected in its calendar of activities” or the Vimoga concept.

“The young leaders of Star want to address important issues in Sabah and Sarawak which the previous generations were unable to resolve,” said Star deputy chairman Awang Ahmad Sah. “We need to get our politics and relationships right before talking big about other things. The older generation in Star is helping to lay the foundation for the young to continue the struggle.”

Sabah villagers outraged by road to nowhere

By Luke Rintod of FMT

The current government has done poorly in terms of maintaining Sabah's roads and rural infrastructure, unlike their predecessors, Usno and PBS regimes claim villagers.

PAPAR: Outraged Dusun villagers from kampungs within the vicinity of the controversial Mini Estate Sejaterah (MESEJ) project in Kg Kinolosodon are demanding to know why the government has neglected to maintain the roads in the villages but see it fit to build a new road to nowhere.

Villagers stormed the MESEJ site a few days ago despite police guarding the access road following a police report by a landowner over logging activities in the MESEJ area, which is allegedly the site for houses for the hardcore poor families.

The villagers wanted to have a look at the ‘beautiful’ new road and at the same time check the felled logs believed to have been illegally extracted from a privately owned site nearby.

Jeffrey accepts ex-CM’s challenge but…

By Raymond Tombung of FMT

Jeffrey Kitingan has welcomed Harris Salleh's challenge to debate the issue of Kuala Lumpur colonising Sabah on condition it is open to the international media, among others.

KOTA KINABALU: State Reform Party (STAR) Sabah chairman Jeffrey Kitingan is willing debate with former chief minister Harris Salleh if the latter is “formally appointed” by the federal and state governments to represent their viewpoints.

Describing Harris’ invitation as “a golden opportunity”, he said the debate would be a “historic” one and should be open to the international media.

“As far as STAR is concerned, this will be our golden opportunity to publicise the whole issue of Sabah’s position in Malaysia to the global community.

“So let’s not do it half way. Let’s make this a historic debate which will be judged not only by Malaysians but by other governments and peoples of the world,” Jeffrey said.

Putrajaya will not win stand-off with Bar Council

By Joe Fernandez

It appears that the current Najib Administration has forgotten the bitter lessons learnt during Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad's long innings in office when he, the frightened little man he was by default in office, openly and shamelessly rooted for extreme coercion as his preferred modus operandi.

It's not so much that Prime Minister Mohd Najib Abdul Razak is calling the shots in the current stand-off with the Bar Council of Malaya on the proposed Law Academy in the wake of Bersih 3.0.

First round victory to Borneonisation suit against the governments

KOTA KINABALU: The "Borneonisation suit" brought by two Sabahans against two respondents, the Federal and State Governments, for failing to Borneonise Federal agencies in Sabah tasted a first-round victory at the High Court Friday (May 25).

Justice David Wong Dak Wah dismissed the application of both the first and second respondents' to strike out the suit brought by the duo last year. He had now fixed June 18 this year as a new mention date for the case which many see a test to Sabah special rights and autonomy within the Federation of Malaysia.

The judge in dismissing the respondents' application ruled that contrary to the respondents' contention, the Sabahan duo do have locus standi to sue the government in regards to their rights in relation to non-compliance of the Malaysia Agreement 1963. 
     

Datuk Yong Teck Lee Lancar Pesta Kaamatan Peringkat Negeri Ditenom 27 Mei

Oleh: Mail Mathew

TENOM:  Presiden Parti Maju Sabah (SAPP) Datuk Seri Panglima Yong Teck Lee dijangka akan merasmikan Pesta Kaamatan Peringkat Negeri Sabah anjuran SAPP bertempat di Kg Pulong kira kira 12 kilometer dekat sini ada 27 Mei 2012 bermula jam 12.30 petang.

Demikian dinyatakan Pengerusi Penganjur yang juga merupakan Naib Presiden SAPP Jimmy Jawatah (gambar), ketika memberitahu  media dalam satu kenyataan disini pada Jumaat.

Pelbagai acara telah siap diatur seperti Unduk Ngadau, Sugandoi, Bolasepak, sukan tradisi, persembahan muzik tradisi, selain persembahan nyanyian oleh penyanyi penyanyi jemputan.

Open Letter to Yayasan Islam Sabah on "theories"

YIS contradictions on citizenship, no locus standi


Dear YIS,

The Yayasan Islam Sabah (YIS) appears to be getting way ahead of itself in pontificating sanctimoniously on its four "theories", for want of a better term, in the Daily Express report, "YIS: Those already having documents need not worry", on Wed this week.

The first YIS theory is that Malaysian citizens in Sabah need not fear about their citizenship rights as long as their identity card was issued by the National Registration Department (NRD).

This is a fallacy in law.

The Federal Government cannot issue Special Passes, temporary residence permits (green cards), permanent residence status (red cards) or citizenships to foreigners in Sabah without the prior written recommendation and consent of the state government, which must be the initiating party, on a case-by-case basis.

Ambiga a victim of race and religion, says Pak Samad

Today, as Bersih co-chairperson Ambiga Sreenevasan’s Bukit Damansara residence is turned into a bizarre combination of a mini market, crime scene and conflict zone with pro- and anti-Ambiga groups taking their positions under the watchful eyes of the authorities outside her house, it is business as usual at the Bangsar Utama flat of her fellow co-chairperson A Samad Said.

Since the Bersih 3.0 protest on April 28 which organisers claimed saw some 250,000 participants taking to the streets of Kuala Lumpur, anti-Bersih groups have taken their counter-protest to the doorstep of Ambiga’s residence with burger stalls, butt exercises and now, a mini-market.

Socio-political view on the Felda Global IPO

Khor Yu Leng is an independent analyst and the writer of Khor Reports, specialising in agribusiness in Southeast Asia and frontier markets for global corporate clients. She was trained as a political-economist at Oxford University and the London School of Economics. Recent client reports include updates on large-scale oil palm projects in West and Central Africa and on Myanmar’s mineral processing and port facilities. Yu Leng is also working on a book project on the history of agriculture frontier developments in Southeast Asia.

Q: With the IPO, how do you think this will benefit the settlers? What are the risks of the IPO?

Khor Reports answer: The market considers the Felda Global listing to be a Malaysia general election play which promises gains to those who hold IPO shares. It is touted as the second largest listing this year after Facebook. Many view the Felda Global IPO as being “designed to succeed.” Malaysian institutional investor support (dominated by state-controlled pension and investment funds) is expected to be strong. There is market chatter that pins hopes on the traded price reaching the RM5.50-6.00 per share range. Thus, there could be potential handsome gains for those subscribing for the shares, priced at RM4.65 each; but the medium to longer term market views are more cloudy.

Star: One to one fight ideal, but not necessary

KOTA KINABALU: The State Reform Party (Star) shares the sentiments of the Democratic Action Party (Dap) that the possibility of one-to-one fights in Sabah to take on the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) at the forthcoming 13th General Election is non-existent.

It also agrees with Dap that the Sabah Progressive Party (Sapp) was out of synch with local politics but thinks “it would be kinder not to comment further on an irrelevant party”.

However, Star begs to differ with the Peninsular Malaysia-based national opposition party on why “it’s not possible to strike a deal with the self-glorified and unrealistic Star”.