“I AM VERY SCARED!”

By : DATUK YONG TECK LEE

REFERRING to Dr. Hiew King Cheu, Ph.D, MP for Kota Kinabalu challenging me to contest against him in the Kota Kinabalu parliamentary seat; my response:

“In my 26 years in politics, this is my first time to hear anybody in Sabah challenging another person to contest against oneself. Therefore, I am very scared. Dr. Hiew is the most popular, friendly, humble, hard working and clean MP in Malaysia who is loved by the people. He is so strong that nobody can beat him because of his over whelming majority in the 2008 general elections. Even if he uses another symbol instead of the DAP rocket, he will still win and not end up like Dominique Ng Kim Ho of Kuching.”

I only hope that the DAP top leaders in Kuala Lumpur similarly recognise Dr. Hiew's talent and popularity. Perhaps, DAP head quarters should find out what happened at the last Sabah DAP elections in December 2010, immediately after the Batu Sapi by-election, when Dr. Hiew was toppled by new comer Jimmy Wong Su Ping.

It was humiliating for such a popular, hard working and talented leader like Dr. Hiew to receive a mere, rock bottom record two votes in the DAP elections.

No, I will not accept the challenge of Dr. Hiew to contest against him because Dr. Hiew is our top class MP whom everybody loves. So, Dr. Hiew, please stop worrying about me. I only hope that DAP will allow Dr. Hiew to contest the Kota Kinabalu parliamentary constituency again. You see, Dr. Hiew, I am not the one you should look out for.

On the threat of legal action against me, my response:

Oh, I am so fearful of the impending suit by Dr. Hiew King Cheu. Litigation is costly, tedious, tiring and time consuming. Because of the threat of being sued, I have begun to lose sleep, lose weight and lose more hair. Don't forget, I am currently being sued by another ex-Chief Minister.

I ask Dr. Hiew to understand that I was only replying to his serious allegation that I had abused my power as the then Chief Minister which nearly cost the Sabah State government a whopping RM 1.7 billion! You see, I did not abuse my power and the government had lost nothing.

Instead, I had prevented future abuses of power by proposing to the June 17, 1996 Legislative Assembly to transfer the powers of the Chief Minister over land, forests and mining to the Cabinet. As you said, Dr. Hiew, at the time you were an active member of the SAPP Supreme Council who knew all these things. But still you said I abused my powers. Why?