HAJIJI'S STATEMENT AN INSULT TO SABAHANS, SAYS WARISAN

Samuel Wong

23 Mar 2021 KOTA KINABALU: Parti Warisan Sabah has on Tuesday slammed Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor for making a statement which insults the plight and demands of Sabahans. In a statement released by the Warisan Kota Kinabalu Branch, its chief Samuel Wong said Hajiji has during a grand dinner last Sunday publicly declared that the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) needs the Federal Goverment's help and support.

He lamented that the chief minister's political posturing is unacceptable to the people of Sabah.

"This is totally unacceptable and an insult to Sabahans. What was on Hajiji's mind? Was he trying hard to please his KL boss, that he made such a ridiculous statement?" he said, adding that such 'kow-tow' politics have proven a failure, in past attempts to return Sabah's rights. "For more than 25 years, Sabah and the Federal Government under BN has said the same thing. They said Sabah needs KL. "But how many of Sabah's rights and how many points of the Malaysian Agreement 1963 was fulfilled? Almost none." "Now GRS is singing the same old song that Sabah needs KL? This is a total insult to Sabahans!" he exclaimed.

The reality is, Samuel explained, Kuala Lumpur is the one that needs Sabah more than Sabah needs Kuala Lumpur. "Just look at the 5 per cent Sales Tax for petroleum products which this year amounts to RM1.25 billion. "One hundred per cent from the shores of Sabah, KL takes 95 pe cent, (while) Sabah takes 5 per cent. And then we Sabahans are told we need KL? Where is the logic in that? "There are many more apart from petroleum. Fish export is one. Why do Sabah fishermen need KL's approval to export fish? Why do Sabah bird's nest collectors also need KL's approval to export bird nest?

"In the end, the profits from sales of Sabah products are all enjoyed by KL. KL undergoes rapid development and Sabahans continue to have lousy roads, no water, no electricity and our folks in the village continue to be in poverty. And then we Sabahans are told we need KL?" Towards the end, Samuel said Hajiji should focus on rebuilding and developing Sabah instead of wasting time claiming credit and polishing KL's shoes. "What Hajiji should be focusing on is rebuilding and developing Sabah. But nothing much has been done so far. "We have only seen him wasting time and money to re-officiate initiatives of the past Warisan administration. Worse, he brought politicians from KL to take credit for initiatives done by our own Sabahans."