By
: Yb Datuk Seri Panglima Wilfred M. Bumburing
“It
is very clear that the Barisan Nasional State Government cannot accept their
defeat in the state constituency of Tamparuli during the recent general
election. They are now on a witch hunt for those they blamed for their defeat.
Several Ketua Kampung and at least one Wakil Ketua Anak Negeri came to meet me
informing that they had received termination letters without informing them any
valid reason for their termination. Several of these letters were sent to their
houses in person.
Judging
from the number of Ketua kampongs being terminated, it seems that the state
government is meting punishment for the Kadazandusun community as all of those terminated
from their post as Ketua kampongs are from the
KDM community. This action by the state government shows that they don’t
hold to and practice democratic
principles and freedom. In fact from my survey many of these ketua
kampongs were not involved in the recent elections and many of them have thrown
their support to the Barisan Nasional candidates.
I
want to remind the State government that the institution of Ketua Kampungs are
an integral part of social and traditional life of the KDM community and the
harsh and termination of these village chiefs is an onslaught to the community.
I am wondering what is the stand of the KDM leaders like Datuk Wilfred Tangau,
the secretary general of UPKO, a party which is supposed to fight for the right
of the KDM community? However I am not at all surprised if these terminations are as a result of
recommendations and bidding from and the defeated BN candidate in Tamparuli.
Many
of the terminated village chiefs had been serving the community for a long
time. They had been appointed based on the support from the local community and
their termination had deprived them of effective and good leadership. Many
people expressed to me their outmost anguish and dissatisfaction over this
draconian action by the state government. If fact they confided to me their
worry about the future position of the KDM in Sabah and in the country as a
whole.
The
issue of the position of the ketua kampongs was raised during the recent state
assembly meeting. The Minister of Local government and Housing had assured that
the wishes of the majority in the respective kampongs will be respected by the
state government. I therefore ask the government to grant the wishes of the
community affected that the position of the ketua kampung should be carried out
through an election process where every villagers are given their democratic
right to electing the ketua kampongs of their choice and all the residents of
the respective kampung must be free to
participate in the election including those who were terminated recently.
If
the government does not respect the wishes of the people then this would
confirm the suspicion of the community that they are being sidelined by the
ruling Barisan nasional government in the country that equally belongs to
them.”
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