By: JOSEPH WILFRED LAKAI
SABAH is the worst managed
and worst state to live in Malaysia with the second lowest water supply
coverage, the highest population growth, the largest number of illegal
immigrants, the highest poverty incidence, the poorest electricity/ energy
efficiency and the least developed state in Malaysia. This conclusion does come
from a close study and analysis of the Ninth Malaysian Plan as follows:
Sabah has the second lowest
water supply coverage of 75% throughout the state just ahead of the 70% water
supply coverage in Kelantan;
Sabah has also the highest
population growth rate in the country at 3.1% as compared to the national
average of 2.3%. Its population jumped by 530,000 or more than 20% in the space
of 5 years from 2.6 million in 2000 to 3.13 million in 2005.
Sabah has the largest number
of illegal immigrants and those with genuine ICs under “Project M” estimated at
nearly 1 million. The extraordinary growth of the Sabah population can be shown
that in 1960, the Kadazandusun population was 168,000 and equaled the number of
other Bumiputeras. In 2000, while the Kadazandusun Murut population increased
to 560,000, the population of other Bumiputeras had grown to 1.1 million;
Sabah has the worst energy
efficiency with shocking system losses of 19.5%, units sold per employee (Gwh)
of only 1.29 and System Average Interruption Duration Index (SAIDI) of 4,109
minutes per customer per year. In other words, 4,109 minutes is lost from power
interruptions in Sabah each year or almost 3 days out of 365 days. No wonder
Sabah is known as the ‘Land With Power Cuts’. This compares unfavorably with
TNB’s system losses of 10.5%, 3.05 Gwh units sold and 147 SAIDI or only 147
minutes lost per year in Peninsular Malaysia.
Sabah has the worst
incidence of poverty at 23% in 2004 as compared to Sarawak’s 7.5% and
Kelantan’s 10.6%. The incidence of poverty in Peninsular Malaysia is 3.6% and
for the entire country 5.7%
Sabah ranked last on the
Development Composite Index (DCI) scoring 90 as compared to the highest of
109.6 of Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur. Even Kelantan is ahead of Sabah
with a DCI of 93.1.
Clearly, being the last
developed state in Malaysia is the reward to Sabahans for giving absolute power
to BN without any meaningful opposition in the state. Absolute power corrupts
absolutely. The time has come for Sabahans to wake up by restoring democracy by
voting in the opposition to provide a strong and effective Sabah government to
fight for political equality, socio-economic justice and fight for a clean and good
governance.
What have you got to lose
when Sabahans are already the bottom state in Malaysia. With such abundant
natural resources, it is unacceptable for Sabahans to live in poverty, where
there are frequent interruption in power supply, poor roads maintenance and
construction, frequent water supply breakdowns, a stranger in your own land
facing illegal immigrants and also a deepening divide between the rich and
poor.
Sabah has a mean monthly
income of RM 2,487 in 2004. How many households have a mean monthly income of
RM 2,487 when Sabah has the highest poverty incidence of 23%. Malaysia has the
worst income disparity in South-East Asia between the rich and poor with the
share of income of the bottom 40% of the population enjoying only 13.5% whilst
the share of the top 20% increased 51.2%. The income disparity is clearly much
worse in Sabah where the rich has become richer whilst the poor remain poor.
Malaysia has much wealth.
The only problem is that it is not shared equitably with other Malaysians. As
an oil producer and exporter, Malaysians have not received a single cent of oil
revenues even though Petronas earned RM 500 billion since it was established 31
years ago in 1974. If this RM 500 billion was shared with every needy Malaysian
who is not wealthy, each Malaysian young and old can get at least RM 20,000
each.
But Malaysians have not
received a single cent of oil revenues due to extensive corruption by the BN
government as absolute power corrupts absolutely. Former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir
Mohamad recently revealed that Petronas was expected to earn RM 83 billion last
year. After deducting tax and royalties of RM 40 billion, fuel subsidies of RM
13 billion, Petronas will still have RM 40 billion left. If this was
distributed to needy Malaysians, each young and old would get RM 2,000 each per
year.
A household of 5 would
receive RM 10,000 per year and would not fear petrol and electricity price
hikes as well as assist them in reducing the financial burdens. But why have we
not received a single cent when this is our birthright as oil revenues from our
oil resources belongs not to one company or to any individual but to all
Malaysians in the oil producing states.
If a non-oil producer like
Singapore can give S$2.6 billion (RM 6 billion) cash under the 2006 Budget this
year to all Singaporeans, especially the poor, why can’t the Malaysian
government do so when Petronas has earned nearly RM 500 billion since its
inception in 1971? Oil importer Singapore has given $10.675 billion (RM 24
billion) directly to its people since 2000 as compared to Petronas which has
not given a single cent.
The natural question that
Najib must answer is how come Malaysians cannot get a single cent directly from
the RM 500 billion oil revenues whilst Singaporeans without a single cent of
earning from oil revenue can benefit from RM 24 billion these last 5 years?
Clearly, it is important that Malaysians seek accountability and economic
justice not only from the Sabah BN government but also from Prime Minister
Datuk Seri Najib Razak to prevent all our oil revenue from being misused by the
select few.
(NOTE : Joseph Wilfred Lakai,
Vice Chairman of Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) N34 Liawan Constituency Liaison
Committee.)
Kalau paling teruk, rasanya ramai yang tidak tinggal di Sabah lagi.
ReplyDeleteBetul. ramai pula yang datang tinggal di Sabah. sehinggakan sanggup jadi PATI
Deletemmg masih byk kekurangan di Sabah. tapi ia tidaklah teruk sangat.. jgn gambarkan Sabah terlalu mundur.
ReplyDeleteTapi saya berbangga tinggal di Sabah. negeri lain pun bukannya 100% bersih dari masalah. yang pentingnya pemimpin akan sentiasa memainkan peranan memajukan negeri dan berjuang untuk rakyat.
ReplyDeleteSemua tempat untuk ada masalah masing2.
DeleteSemoga masalah tanah adat yang berlaku di Sabah ini akan dapat diselesaikan.
ReplyDeleteBetul..Jika dibandingkan dengan NEgeri lain di Malaysia ini Sabah mungkin lebih aman, tenang dan selesa.
ReplyDeletepandai pula SAPP cakap sabah is the worse.. siapa yang buat sabah hampir bankrap kalau bukan SAPP? siapa yang buat rakyat di negeri ini menanggung kerugian besar kalau bukan SAPP?? siapa yang jual hutan seluas 5 kali ganda keluasan singapore kalau bukan SAPP? siapa yang banyak rampas tanah penduduk kampung kalau bukan SAPP?? dan banyak lagi.. semua ini berlaku hanya dalam masa 2 TAHUN pentadbiran SAPP dengan YONG TECK LIES sebagai ketua menteri..
ReplyDeleteketika Yong Teck Lee sebagai K Sabah, tidak ada pelabur masuk ke negeri ini, tidak usaha2 memperluaskan bekalan air dan elektrik, tidak ada kerja untuk belia2 Sabah waktu itu dan tidak ada pembangunan ekonomi..
ReplyDeletehanya ketika era pentadbiran musa aman barulah ekonomi negeri ini bertambah baik, pelabur semakin banyak, peluang pekerjaan semakin banyak, pengurusan kewangan yang paling cekap dan rating AAA oleh badan antarabangsa..
ReplyDeletesituasi negeri ini yang hampir bankrap sebelum ini angkara Yong Teck Lee kini berjaya dipulihkan oleh Datuk Musa Aman.. setelah negeri bertambah baik, kini Yong Teck Lee mahu merebut jawatan KM itu semula untuk kali kedua.. rakyat Sabah perlu berhati2 dengan agenda SAPP..
ReplyDeleteSabah will stand firm behind Prime Minister and Barisan Nasional chairman Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak who is a caring leader. And the State is thankful to the Prime Minister who has the interest of Sabahans at heart. “He cares and whatever we request, he will not hesitate to approve so long as it benefits the people,” Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Haji Aman said at the breaking of fast with the people.
ReplyDeleteAlso present were the Prime Minister and his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansur, the Chief Minister’s wife Datin Seri Hajah Faridah Haji Tussin, Parliament Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Haji Mulia, Kimanis MP-cum-Foreign Minister Datuk Anifah Aman, Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, State Assembly Speaker Datuk Salleh Tun Said and Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Yahya Hussin as well as State Umno and BN component party leaders.
ReplyDelete“We will give our full backing to the Prime Minister,” he added. Musa also said the BN was a government whose objective was to safeguard the interest of the people.“It is a government that brings progress and development across the State and ensures a good future for the people,” he said.
ReplyDeleteMusa who is also Sabah BN and Umno chief told the opposition not to waste time coming to Sabah to make empty promises and hurl accusations against BN leaders.“It is as if Sabah is very backward and poor and the people never got help from the government. “I want to tell Pakatan Rakyat not to waste their time in Sabah because the people are now able to evaluate… they can differentiate between a stone and a gem.
ReplyDelete“We are not talking big but the fact remains that the progress and development in Sabah is far better than that in the states under opposition rule,” the Chief Minister pointed out. And according to Musa, billions of ringgit had been allocated to Sabah by the Federal government to implement development programmes.He said the people could see the rapid development currently taking place in Sabah.
ReplyDelete“For example in Kimanis we have the oil and gas project, the Sabah Oil & Gas Terminal which has a Petronas Training Centre to provide the locals with training. “And in Sipitang, there is the Sabah Ammonia & Urea (Samur) project. All these projects will provide jobs for the local people apart from boosting the economy in the west coast area,” he added.
ReplyDeleteMusa said the Integrated Livestock Centre has also been set up in Keningau and in Tenom the Integrated Agriculture Centre. In Sandakan, an Education Hub is being developed and in Lahad Datu the gas-fired power plant to supply electricity to the east coast districts.
ReplyDeleteThe Chief Minister also said the road linking Kota Kinabalu with Papar, Kimanis, Bongawan, Beaufort, Sipitang, Sindumin and Lawas in Sarawak, would also be upgraded soon. ”The BN is doing all this for the benefit of the people,” he added.
ReplyDeleteMusa also said Sabah’s development was being carried out in a holistic manner without neglecting any district in the State. “We are able to implement all these projects because we preserve the good relations between the State and Federal governments and we also ensure there is political stability to boost economic growth,” Musa added.
ReplyDelete“We will not be afraid to face any challenge… we are on the right track and we are committed to helping to strengthen Umno and BN at the national level,” Musa said. Meanwhile, Musa also revealed there were certain individuals who attempted to undermine the BN’s noble efforts by spreading lies and working with the opposition.
ReplyDelete“They only care about their personal interest and not the party’s. They gave all kinds of reason why they need to change course after having been with the government for so long. “The question is why oppose now and not earlier? They do this when the election is drawing near… surely there is a hidden agenda,” Musa said.
ReplyDeleteThe people of Sabah, he said lived in peace and harmony. “Nobody can deny… and this is achieved during the BN rule. The people realise this and they are happy with the development and progress which we have brought to them,” he said.
ReplyDeleteTill today, he said Umno and BN were still very strong and united.“What happened in Tuaran and Beaufort does not mean this peaceful State is now having a major problem.”Musa also thanked the Prime Minister and his wife for breaking fast with the people here.
ReplyDelete