Revoke the appointment of JKDM in Sabah-BBC

31 May 2024

KOTA KINABALU: The Government Supporters Club (BBC) of the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS ) and Pakatan Harapan (PH)

firmly stands against the establishment of JKDM in Sabah as proposed by the Deputy Prime Minister cum Minister of Rural Development and Territories who is also the President of UMNO, Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

In a statement, Datuk Dr Yusof Yacob as the Chairman of BBC together with Members of the BBC Sabah State Legislative Assembly requests the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to intervene in this issue by advising Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid to retract the appointment of JKDM as it is not a policy of the Federal Government presented in Parliament for approval of expenditure for that purpose.

He stressed that the use of public funds to finance allowances for this position is purely political and is considered a wasteful expenditure that is detrimental to the people.

This matter is also clearly contrary to the intention of the Right Honourable Prime Minister to promote a Unity Government inspired by the 16th Yang di-Pertuan Agong during the formation of the Government after the 15th General Election (PRU) where there was no clear majority among the competing parties, he elaborated.

" If it is a Federal Government Policy, why do other states like Sarawak and Penang not have such appointments?"

In Sabah, it contradicts the decision of the State Government through the Fourth Session of the 16th State Legislative Assembly in November 2023 which approved amendments to the Sabah Rural Administration Ordinance which empowered the State Government to appoint and manage village committees known as the Village Security and Development Committee (JKKK) that play a role in village administration in various aspects such as security and development for the progress of the village, he opined.

Besides violating the Sabah State Constitution, this matter will also cause confusion among the grassroots community. In reality, at the village level, besides the Village Head, the JKKK is one of the entities responsible for ensuring the needs and safety in each village, Yusof said.

If JKDM is appointed, there will be an overlap of power, functions, and duties that could lead to tension. This matter will also complicate management at the District Office, District Council, and City Council levels.

" Despite reasons given by the UMNO Sabah Liaison Chairman who is also the Lamag Assemblyman Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin that the establishment of JKDM is not conflicting and more about empowering the economy and entrepreneurship, in reality, it is overlapping and confusing."

Entrepreneurship programmes should ideally be conducted at the state level through the Sabah Ministry of Industrial Development and Entrepreneurship (MIDE) and at the national level through the Ministry of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives (MEDC) led by Minister Datuk Ewon Benedick, the Member of Parliament for Penampang who is also the Assemblyman for Kadamaian, Yusof said adding that entrepreneurship programmes should be implemented under MEDC and coordinated under MIDE.

"Therefore, there is no need for the establishment of JKDM in Sabah to avoid overlapping responsibilities that confuse the people and waste funds."

A member of the BBC GRS-PH Sabah, Datuk Ewon Benedick (Assemblyman of N.43 Kadamaian), has boldly and firmly expressed in the Federal Cabinet his disagreement with the establishment of JKDM without BB considering personal risks as a Federal Minister, but it is clear his sincerity and honesty towards the beloved state of Sabah, Yusof elaborated.

Members of the BBC GRS-PH Sabah oppose any party from within and outside of Sabah that seeks to divide and disturb the harmony that we have been rebuilding after the downfall of the Barisan Nasional (BN) government in 2018, he said.

According to him, the coalition formed under the leadership of the Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Hajiji Hajiji Noor, towards the unity of ethnic groups and local parties, clearly demonstrates their confidence in the current State Government under his leadership.

BBC GRS-PH Sabah requests the State Government to make a firm decision to not recognise the establishment of JKDM in Sabah and ask the Federal Government Cabinet to revoke the appointment of JKDM in Sabah.