Sudah tiba masanya rakyat Sabah berubah arus

Sahar Abdul Majid - Harakahdaily

Rakyat berbilang kaum di Sabah digesa menilai kembali kewibawaan dan ketelusan pemerintahan Umno dan Barisan Nasional (BN) sejak lebih sedekad gabungan parti berkenaan memerintah negeri ini.

Ini memandangkan, sejak selepas merdeka taraf hidup masyarakat Bumiputera di negara ini khususnya Bumiputera Islam dan bukan Islam di Sabah masih berada pada tahap yang rendah dengan penguasaan ekonomi sekitar 30 peratus berbanding kaum lain.

Perkara itu dinyatakan oleh Ketua Dewan Pemuda PAS Pusat, YB Salahuddin Ayub dalam sidang medianya selepas menyempurnakan perasmian 'Majlis Ramah Mesra Pasti Kawasan Tawau' di sebuah hotel terkemuka dekat sini kelmarin.

Turut sama dalam sidang media itu, Pesuruhjaya PAS Sabah Hj Muhammad Abdullah dan Ketua Dewan Pemuda PAS Negeri Ustaz Anuar Ali.

Beliau menegaskan sudah sampai masanya rakyat Sabah melakukan perubahan politik sekali lagi pada pilihan raya akan datang berikutan kegagalan Umno dan BN menaiktarafkan kehidupan rakyat berbilang kaum terutama dari segi ekonomi, infrastruktur dan pendidikan.

“Bagi PAS dan juga tidak ketinggalan rakan-rakan dalam BA iaitu Parti Keadilan Rakyat mempunyai agenda nasional bagi memastikan hak rakyat terus terbela,"katanya.

Salahuddin yang juga Ahli Parlimen Kubang Kerian Kelantan menjelaskan, walaupun beliau wakil rakyat PAS dari Kelantan, namun beliau terus menyuarakan hak dan kepentingan rakyat semua kaum semasa perbahasan di parlimen termasuk banyak menyentuh isu-isu yang berlaku di Sabah.

“Kami bukanlah parti kampungan seperti yang didakwa tetapi kami mempunyai visi dan misi yang jelas untuk semua kaum tanpa mengira apa bangsa dan latar belakang mereka,”tegas beliau.

Bahkan kata Salahuddin lagi, wakil-wakil rakyat dari Sabah sendiri mengakui banyak perkara yang tidak dapat diselesaikan untuk membangunkan rakyat Sabah pada tahap yang lebih baik terutama dalam soal pendidikan, infrastruktur dan ekonomi Bumiputera.

Katanya, tidak hairanlah kiranya Sabah terus direkodkan sebagai sebuah negeri yang termiskin di Malaysia berbanding negeri-negeri lain di Semenanjung termasuk Kelantan yang diperintah oleh PAS.

Sehubungan dengan itu katanya, bertapaknya PAS dan BA di Sabah sebagai ‘pengimbang’ kepada kuasa Umno dan BN bagi memastikan rakayat mendapat keadilan yang sewajarnya.

Beliau turut yakin dengan perkembangan dan senario politik yang berlaku ketika ini, rakyat Sabah akan melakukan perubahan politik sekali lagi kepada parti pembangkang.

“Bertukar kerajaan adalah suatu perkara biasa bagi rakyat Sabah, dan saya yakin berdasarkan maklumat yang diperolehi rakyat, akan melakukannya pada pilihan raya umum kali ini,” ujar salahuddin lagi.

Ketika ditanya mengenai penerimaan rakyat Sabah terhadap PAS, beliau berkata selepas hampir dua dekad PAS berada pada tahap yang amat memberansangkan terutama sokongan masyarakat Bumiputera Islam

Dalam hal ini beliau melahirkan rasa kagum apabila sokongan rakyat terutama golongan muda semakin meningkat bahkan ketika ini PAS dipimpin oleh golongan profesional tempatan sendiri.

“Saya amat yakin dengan perkembangan positif ini PAS akan menjadi pesaing kepada Umno dan BN dalam gelanggang politik Sabah suatu ketika nanti,” tambahnya.

Will the Voters Be Forgiving?

Dr Dzulkifli Ahmad
Director, PAS Research Centre

Just as the premier is on his upbeat mood to be contemplating on the date for the next General Election (GE), he is rudely reminded that the worst is far from over. His current woes on the economy are nowhere near comfort zone. Worse still, he is now confronted with even more agonising and unending revelation of corruption in his government.

His excitement over the economy took a blow when his economic spin-doctors pathetic attempt to massage the statistics of the so-called trillion ringgit total trade, increased foreign reserves, strengthening ringgit and increased foreign direct investment (FDI) were challenged. The FDI numbers were contradicted by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) report. The International Trade and Industry Minister earlier announced that the FDI had surged to a record high in 2006, noting that ‘approved’ FDI for the manufacturing sector was at a record RM 20.2 billion (US$5.7 billion).

In UNCTAD Investment Brief (Number 1, 2007), Malaysia’s FDI (actual inflow of approved) for 2006 was estimated around US$3.9 as compared to US$4.0 in 2005 and US$4.6 in 2004. Rafidah’s claim that Malaysia continues to be an attractive manufacturing and export base doesn’t reflect the actual situation. The same report quoted Thailand as having attracted USD$7.9 billion, while India and Singapore enticed USD$9.5 billion and USD$31.9 billion respectively. For the record, Asia is still the top target for FDIs in the developing world, attracting a total US$230 billion. For all our much hyped ‘competitiveness’, we actually had a meagre 1.7% of the total FDI for Asia.

The premier’s bullishness over the performance of the Bursa Malaysia was also short-lived. The Kuala Lumpur Composite Index (KLCI) went into a tailspin from 1,272.87 on the 27th February to 1,164.68 on 2nd March, wiping out a whooping RM97.58 billion in market capitalisation. Thanks to the premier’s ‘unsolicited investment advice’, he had predicted that the KLCI could surpass the 1,350-point by year end. Lured by the premier’s novice advice, many small investors actually got badly burnt.

Ironically though, many could recall that it was none other than the boss of the Malaysian Institute of Economic Research (MIER) who went as far as instigating the premier to call for the dissolution of the parliament. He alleged that the economy is at its best.

Since when was the head of the MIER a jointly appointed ‘political analyst’? His audacious attempt in ‘political prophecy’ is surely to be marvelled. Quite oblivious of its impact, he had actually committed a great disservice to his political master by letting known the gruelling economic scenarios to come.

The writer’s perusal of current literature has it that the US economic recession is probable by this year end as predicted by Allan Span (former US Federal Reserve). China is talking about curbing its overheated stock market. Investors, especially hedge fund managers, may embark on unwinding their yen ‘carry trade’ as Japan may decide to end their zero-rate policy amounting to US$1 trillion. This could adversely affect the global financial markets (carry trade - buying in Japan’s yen because of their zero interest rate and investing in other currencies and higher yielding assets and earning through it spread). These are scary scenarios for a pending global threat that may have a negative impact on the Malaysian economy. Bleak though it may seem for the time being, waiting much longer doesn’t help the premier either.

As if all these weren’t sufficient to shake his confidence for a ‘fengshui’ date for the next General Election, he was further slapped with the latest allegations against his Number One or the Director-General of the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA), Datuk Seri Zulkipli Mat Noor, on accounts of corruption and sexual crimes.

His party and administration are under very serious pressure as a result of the many abuses and corrupt practices. But this one is doubtless, simply the most menacing and catastrophic to the integrity of his entire government. No amount of ‘spin’ or damage control from Johan Jafaar’s ‘Debat Perdana’ on ‘Integrity’ could cushion the damage. The ACA is the watchdog and the icon of integrity, the primary institution charged with combating corruption in the public sector.

Thanks to the good work of the Movement for Democracy and Anti-Corruption (Gerak) that had exposed the report penned by former Sabah ACA’s chief, Mohamad Ramli Manan last year. Gerak’s Chairman, Ezam Mohd Noor, insisted on the establishment of an independent committee to probe the allegations. Both the president of the Bar Council and the president of the Transparency International (TI) Malaysia, however, opined that the police should be allowed to carry out a full investigation first.

The writer having met the complainant, Mohamad Ramli Manan, believes that there are merits to Ezam’s suggestion. Letters to the then IGP as well as to the AG’s Chambers were of no avail. What is puzzling, police findings in 1997, where Zulkipli claimed that he was cleared of the charges, were not revealed to the public. The IGP has now confirmed that the papers on the sexual crime and assault allegations have been resubmitted to the AG’s Chambers for further action.

Be that as it may, like the judiciary, the ACA is deserving of leadership of impeccable reputation. While not wanting to be prejudicial to ex-police officers, it would be pertinent to have personalities from established academics, top civil servants or the jurists. Ideally, the ACA must be directly placed under the parliament as the PAC Chairman has suggested.

Just as the premier thought he could sit back, he is struck by another allegation of corrupt practice against his Internal Security Deputy Minister, Datuk Mohd Johari Baharum who has been alleged to have accepted more than RM5.5 million in bribes to assist in freeing several suspects detained under the Emergency Ordinance.

At this juncture, it dawns upon me that all these ‘revelations’ might very well be my ‘blind spot’. For all the ‘predicaments’ apparently tormenting the premier, it’s nonetheless the work of his ‘spin doctors’ to betray the premier’s earnestness and resolute stance against corruption. Some may have to fall on their own swords - the sacrificial lamb of sorts.

He fought the election wanting the electorates to support him on the agenda of ‘war against corruption’ and Islam Hadhari. They relented and gave him a thumping victory. After three years, he now could neither show-case his success on Islam or brag of his efforts against corruption. His lackadaisical attitude in combating corruption is amply testified by the fact that the National Integrity Plan and its Institute were launched in April 2004. After all the rhetoric, nothing got done. It’s now March 2007!

Given the last leg of his term, he is desperate to vindicate his claims, deliver his promises and placate his critiques. But then, what about the 18 high-profile cases exposed by Dr Rais Yatim at the start of his premiership?

What about the RM540 million paid to a third party in the procurement of the RM4.1 billion submarines?

What about the long list of rent-seeking or crony practices bordering abuses nay downright corruption that privileged a few Umnoputras?

What about the excesses of purchasing the new airbus jetliner for RM200 million when the overburdened rakyat were denied of the RM104 million for the textbook loan for their children and all?

What about the inflation in literally everything that matters most to the rakyat as a result of reckless policies in increasing petrol and diesel prices? What about the tariff hikes in utilities and the toll?

What about….what about…what about? The list goes on.

Will the rakyat and voters be forgiving in the next General Election? I rest my case.

Admission by Pairin: Jeffrey

Daily Express

Kota Kinabalu: Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) President Datuk Seri Joseph Pairin Kitingan is wrong to say it is not the right time for political change, said his younger brother, Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan, who is Parti Keadilan Rakyat Sabah deputy chief.

"The reality at the grassroots indicate otherwise with the people crying out for change. Even at the remotest villages, simple folk know they have not benefited through PBS since BN came into power," he said.

"A huge percentage of the electorate have already decided to vote for Keadilan in the next election," he claimed, adding that such sentiment could not be reversed by a simple offer of development projects under the Ninth Malaysia Plan.

Nonetheless, he said Keadilan saluted Pairin for his honesty in saying that PBS was aware that "its participation in the BN has yet to bear fruitful results".

"By this statement, he (Pairin) admits that PBS' readmission to the BN since January 2002 has been fruitless or in other words, has been in vain, and had not brought any benefit to the people.

"By asserting that PBS is still relevant, Pairin also actually cast strong doubt about the relevance of PBS in the present political scenario. How can it be relevant when after all these years it has not borne fruitful results?

"If after five years it failed to deliver, can it really hope to do it now and in the future when the BN is now so dominated by Umno, while PBS and the other components have little say in political decision-making?" he asked.

Dr Jeffrey said PBS must also look into how much role it will have in implementing the Ninth Malaysia Plan.

"It should speak out against corruption in the BN É there is so much injustice and unresolved problems in Sabah now such as the worsening illegal immigrant problem, corruption, unbalanced development distribution, native land issues, poverty," he said.