Human rights in M’sia: ‘A tale of two Najibs’

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian government backtracked significantly on human rights after the May 2013 general election returned the ruling coalition to power with a significantly smaller majority, Human Rights Watch said today in its World Report 2014.

The passage of new repressive laws, arrests of opposition activists, and greater repression of political speech marked the apparent end to Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak’s proclaimed reform agenda.

Support of Chinese, Mission and Other Schools Still Insufficient – Dr. Jeffrey

Kota Kinabalu:“The Sabah government is missing the primary objective of education with a “less than half-full glass” view in its support of Chinese, mission and other vernacular and non-national type schools in Sabah.  It should not have a misplaced notion that it is doing enough to assist these schools with yearly grants and ad-hoc contributions” said Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan, STAR Sabah Chief, opining on the Chief Minister’s statement stressing that the State Government is very attentive to the needs of students to have better basic educational infrastructure and services.

Revert State ROS to Own State Control

Kota Kinabalu:    “The decision of the federal Registrar of Societies (ROS) in Putrajaya on SUPP and LDP shows the need for Sabah and Sarawak governments and their people to re-assess the de-merger of the Sabah and Sarawak arm of the ROS” said Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan, STAR Sabah Chief in commenting on the decision of ROS to de-register 2 branches of SUPP in Sarawak and the picking of the president of LDP in Sabah.

Why No Priority for Sabah Road Slopes Repairs?

Kota Kinabalu: “It is not surprising that there are landslides affecting major roads in Sabah whenever there is heavy rain as the Sabah JKR had been clamouring and literally begging without success for federal funds since 2009 for repairs of 647 road slopes failures” said Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan, STAR Sabah Chief, commenting on roads being cut off in Penampang-Tambunan, Tamparuli-Kiulu and Tuaran-Topokon due to landslides two days ago.

It is sad that Sabahans have to bear the brunt of the landslides and failure of the road slopes due to the failure of the federal government to provide sufficient funding for Sabah JKR. 

10 points, sultan’s decree and the raid

By Luke Rintod of FMT 

Recently, various news reports on the confiscating of Bibles translated into Bahasa Malaysia have repeatedly referred to the so-called 10-Point Resolutions adopted in April 2011 to ease fears among Christians about the Islamic agenda of government agencies and certain leaders in the Barisan Nasional coalition.

But what exactly are the 10 points?

How Much to Compensate Sabah Motorists? – Dr. Jeffrey

Kota Kinabalu: “The time has come for the Sabah government and Sabah Ministers, Deputy Ministers and MPs, both government and opposition, to step up and look after the interests of Sabah and Sabahans.   They need to stop the unfair and unjust treatment of Sabah by the federal government” said Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan, STAR Sabah Chief in commenting on toll hikes and government compensation for toll operators and concessionaires.

Consider Re-locating Kaiduan Dam - Dr. Jeffrey

Kota Kinabalu:    “The Sabah government shouldconsider re-locating the Kaiduan Dam rather than adopt intransigent and stubborn attitudes from their federal government.  They should also establish their own attitudes in governing consistent with local cultures and attitude.  They should not shaft the building of the Kaiduan dam down the people’s throats” said Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan, STAR Sabah Chief in commenting on the people’s growingprotests onthe Kaiduan dam and government insistence to build it.

Be Wary of Internal Colonization - Dr. Jeffrey

KOTA KINABALU:   “Sabahans should not be too excited with the establishment of the first UTC (Urban Transformation Centre) in Kota Kinabalu.   It is nothing more than another subtle step in the internal colonization of Sabah” said Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan, STAR Sabah Chief,on the opening of the first UTC at Sembulan, Kota Kinabalu.

How About Public Transport System in KK? - Dr. Jeffrey

Kota Kinabalu:    “PM Najib and the SPAD chief should drive in the Kota Kinabalu peak hours traffic jam so that they can gauge for themselves the need for a proper public transport system befitting the RM26.6 billion that Sabah will be contributing to Petronas and the federal government in 2014” said Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan, STAR Sabah Chief in response to the PM’s tweet that the (federal) government will continue to strive to provide the best public transport.

PBS UPKO Should Leverage Their Presence or LeaveBN – STAR

Kota Kinabalu:    “PM Najib and his Umno party have mis-used the federal government and its machinery for its own political ends and has already laid the path of no return for the nation.   The BN components, particularly PBS and Upko do not have any more options.  They need to leverage their presence in BN now or else bite the bullet and leave the BN or be rejected as irrelevant and incapable of protecting Sabahans from Umno/Malayan hegemony” said HasminAzroy Abdullah, STAR Sabah Youth Chief in a press statement released today.