Dompok joins in urging govt re-think

Saturday, March 25, 2006

Daily ExpressPenampang: Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, Tan Sri Bernard Dompok, on Thursday added his voice to the public appeal for the State Government to reconsider its decision to relocate the Sri Tanjung squatters to the Maang area.

"I am joining the villagers and those concerned in appealing to the State Government to re-look at their intention, firstly because it is the belief of everybody that these people (squatters) are immigrants from outside the State," he said.

"It is also feared by a lot of people, I mean the migrants who have applied and gained citizenship status through the backdoor...I think the Government should not assist those people who have become citizens through dubious means," he added.

Looking at what has been said over the last few days, weeks and even in Parliament there have been many references to illegals being the main contributors to the abnormal population growth in Sabah, he said.

"I think one has to look at the work done by Dr Chong En Leong that has been brought up many times in Parliament? I see the issue here as being the culmination of that policy of entertaining the illegal immigrant population for a very long time.

"I think for the people of Maang, Penampang, and I believe for the rest in the State too, it is alarming to see the Government not paying attention to the feelings of local people who are also in need of assistance from the Government," said Dompok, the Minister in charge of the Public Complaints Bureau.

These, after all, are squatters and I think in the past, the government dealt with squatters in many different ways. In the case of Matabian, their houses were demolished without any settlement.

"In some other cases, and in fact in the past actually, I remember working with the Land and Survey Department, when Government makes acquisition of land, even involving private properties, that compensation is paid.

"But the government did not allocate any land for them (those affected)?gave only compensation. So I think the best way to avoid all this, the Government, if they still feel responsible, will use the same approach, that is to give compensation, which I think they (squatters) would be happy to receive and go settle somewhere else."

Dompok was met at the site in Kg Maang, where villagers and their supporters have set up camp as a symbolic protest against the proposed relocation exercise to pave the way for the implementation of the airport expansion project.
Moyog Assemblyman, Philip Lasimbang, and the Kg Maang Action Committee Chairman, Frederick Mosoom, were also present.

"The second part of the observation is that the reason for the relocation is the urgency, it is that because we want to expand the airport urgently and therefore we must move out the affected squatters," said Dompok.

But if it is (the question of) urgency, then obviously this place (in Kg Maang) does not qualify. I don't see any part of this place (in Kg Maang) that can be used immediately (for that purpose)," he added.

"These are hills which at the moment look inaccessible and I think if you do the earth works that is required to build the houses, I think once you cut down the hills, obviously erosion will set in and affect those houses to be built Åo you'll get another problem.

"I don't think the people who are voicing this have anything against the Chief Minister or members of the Cabinet," said Dompok, who said he would raise this matter with Barisan Nasional Chairman Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

This is especially because the party has two of its elected representatives who have been involved in the protest, he added. "Therefore, as the President of the party (Upko), I have to talk to the Chairman of BN."

He said everybody was taken by surprise because there was actually no attempt by the government officers concerned to inform the village people about the relocation to Maang.

"They suddenly saw it was done but it was not easy for them (villagers) to get any information out of that. Eventually, they got the informationÅo I think this is in fact something that has to be looked at by the authorities because I am sure that we want a delivery system that informs the public correctly.

"Even now, there's a confusion in the newspaper on the actual site. If you look at the newspaper (the map provided), the locations conveyed shows that they (relocation sites) are somewhere in Lok Kawi ?but it is not in Lok Kawi. If correct information has been given, I think it can clear all the confusion," said Dompok who is Ranau MP.

"The report that is supposed to clear all the confusion is actually confusing the people further³t will create a problem, I don't think there is any intention among the people to want to be at loggerheads unnecessarily with the State Government."

On whether it would be prudent to consult before making any decision to relocate people to any place, Dompok said:

"I think so, what happens is that the government officers concerned will inspect and then inform the people concerned so as to clear any confusion.

"But in this case, I think the government officers concerned did not inform the public. It's like they were keeping it secret from the local people staying here and I don't think that's the intention of the State Government at all.

"I have been involved in going to sites before, the people's land, and giving explanation to the people," he added.

Dompok, in his capacity as the Minister in charge of the Public Complaints Bureau, would help the Maang villagers to submit the signature petition to the Prime Minister as soon as possible.

Asked whether the State Government still has time to change its mind? Dompok said: "There is still a lot of time³f indeed the Government still proceeds with the plan it is going to take time.

"A lot needs to be done before anything including houses can be built, as you would still need an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) study to be done properly before all that, if not, negative things will happen in future ?it is not something you can do in a rush," he said.

"I think we cannot stop people from having different opinions. It so happens that in this case the people have a different opinion. So it is supposed to be brought for discussion. Things cannot be taken too personally, otherwise, you will not be able to discuss any problem."

'Upko can leave BN if unhappy'

Daily Express

Kota Kinabalu: Upko President Tan Sri Bernard Dompok earned the wrath of Umno MPs who on Friday made it clear that there is no room for his party in the Barisan Nasional (BN) if he takes a confrontational stand on the proposed relocation of squatters to Kampung Maang. "This is not the way we in the BN do things, don't try to be a hero," they said in an immediate reaction to Dompok's decision to add his voice to objections to the State Government's plan to relocate the Sri Tanjung squatters to Maang, in Penampang.

Stating this in a joint statement, Friday, the MPs rebuked Dompok for taking an oppositional approach on the issue and likened this to holding the State Government to ransom.

The MPs present at the press conference were Sabah MP Backbencher Chairman Datuk Bung Moktar who is also Kinabatangan MP, Kimanis MP Datuk Anifah Aman who is also Deputy Plantation Industries and Commodity Minister, Papar MP Rosnah Abdul Rashid Shirlin, Tenom MP Rahim Unggi and Libaran MP Datuk Juslie Ajirul.

Stating a similar stand through the handphone at the press conference were Kalabakan MP Datuk Abdul Ghapur Salleh and Beluran MP Datuk Ronald Kiandee. Also on hand was Pensiangan Umno divisional chief, Abdul Ghani Yassin.Anifah said being a veteran leader Dompok should know that the BN's concept is consultation and that protests and demonstrations are a culture of the opposition.

"We don't want to in the process of trying to resolve a problem be bringing up another," he said.Among the problems that might arise from Dompok's action is that it might hurt the feelings of other component parties, create suspicions as well as weaken the people's confidence in the State BN leadership, he said.

According to Bung, it was puzzling for Dompok to take such a stance since his party was represented in the State Cabinet, which agreed to the decision on the relocation.

"Don't tell me Datuk Ewon Ebin (State Industrial Development Minister) did not brief his Party President on the Government's decision," he said.

Bung said as a BN leader, Dompok, who is also Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, should know that any decision made by the BN is based on collective agreement.

"We see the Upko leaders who participated in the demonstration (together with the people in Maang) as breaching the BN's code of ethics. It projected an image like we have an opposition among us in the Government," he said. Before Dompok, two Upko elected representatives - Philip Lasimbang (Moyog Assemblyman) and Donald Mojuntin (Penampang MP) - had been vociferous on the issue.

"Leaders who oppose the decision of the BN Government should not be leaders. I urge Dompok to consider applying to take out his party from the coalition. We don't need leaders like this," he said, again stressing that BN's concept was (to resolve issues) through consultation and not confrontation.He said if all government decisions faced objections, then it would be difficult for the government machinery to move.

"We call on the BN Chairman (Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi) to make a decision (on this issue) to ensure this will not happen again in the future," said Bung."Why champion the rights of one single ethnic group without thinking about the others in Sabah?" he asked.

The MPs said Dompok being a member of the Federal Cabinet should know that the correct approach would have been for him to bring this up in a BN forum where everything can be thrashed out.

"We are not questioning the right of the people in Maang. They have the right to object because this is a democratic country but what we don't agree is the approach taken by the leaders," said Anifah.

By going through the right channel, he said the leaders would be able to resolve the problem of the people in Sabah and not only in Maang.

"We want to resolve the problem as a whole. We as MPs are ready to participate in a dialogue on this issue and when we offer solutions it will not only be for Maang but for other places as well," he said.

He said the MPs, too, wanted to voice out their concern on problems in their constituencies."We can discuss this thoroughly but will going to the newspapers solve the problem or will it further worsen it?" asked Anifah.

On another note, Anifah also urged the various component Sabah BN parties to stop indulging in "childish politics" by hurling accusations at each other on the issue.

"It is time to stop this kind of childish politics. We are responsible leaders and we should be moving forward," he said referring to the bickering between PBRS and PBS.

PBRS President Tan Sri Joseph Kurup was reported as blaming the two non-Muslim KDM leaders in the State Cabinet (Ewon and Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Joseph Pairin Kitingan) for the predicament of the Maang folk leading to PBS through Supreme Council member, Johnny Mositun, challenging Kurup to submit a memorandum on resolving the problem to the State Government.

Following the statements, PBRS on Friday accused PBS of hypocrisy. Accusations will not resolve any problems and they should know that a decision in government is based on consensus," said Anifah.