President's policy speech on 29 September 1998

Today is an important milestone in the political journey and struggle of Parti Bersatu Sabah. For on this occasion, we hold our 13^th consecutive annual congress which we always regard as our most important party event of the year. As usual, gathered here are delegates and observers from all our 48 divisions throughout the State to participate and witness the annual business meeting of the party. It is to be stressed that we are gathered here not only to fulfil the party’s constitutional obligation but also to take time to refresh ourselves of the party’s ideals, mission and challenges as well as to prepare ourselves for the most important task ahead. That is, to win the forthcoming State general election which could be held any time after this congress!

2. I therefore regard this 13^th congress as both historic and path-breaking. This is because this congress will launch us into the final preparation of the party’s machinery to ensure victory in the coming general election and redeem Sabah from its present state of aimlessness and political backwardness brought about by the present Barisan Nasional government. At the last congress, I remarked that it could well be the final congress before the State election. This time I am definitely 100% sure that this will be the last congress before we face the State election!

3. I take this opportunity to thank every delegate, observer and supporter present in this gathering for your faithful and unwavering support of the struggle and leadership of PBS. We all acknowledge that it would not have been possible to hold this 13^th consecutive annual congress if not for the continued unity and noble vision shared and preserved by leaders and members at all levels within the party. At the same time, as we gather here over the next two days, I appeal to each and every one of you to be filled with renewed zeal, confidence and resilience in the pursuit of our political destiny. This is necessary to ensure that PBS is returned once again as the government of Sabah by the people through the coming State election.

4. Most of us would have realised that a lot of changes have taken place at the global, regional and national levels since the 12^th PBS congress held 12 months ago. Indeed, in Sabah itself there have been numerous changes, which sadly have not been positive to the people at large. At the global level, there are concerns that the so-called "new economic order" that was to promote improved economic stability, financial order, peace and progress of nations has not materialised at all. Indeed, in the last 18 months or so, economies of many nations especially in the Asian region have been in turmoil, caused by a host of factors. The problematic causes include depreciation of national currencies, depressed stock markets, slump in the property markets, weaknesses in the financial systems, reduced demand for industrial goods in the developed countries, political instability, and poor standard of public governance.

5. The Malaysian economy has also not been spared from the financial crisis arising from speculative attacks on the Ringgit and collapse of confidence in the capital market. The problem of non-performing loans (NPL) has also affected liquidity in the financial sector giving rise to higher interest rates charged on loans by financial institutions. At the same time, public spending has been drastically reduced due to shortage of revenue faced by the government. As a result of the sharp depreciation of the Ringgit, the import sector has been literally stagnant especially prior to the imposition of exchange controls and the pegging of the Ringgit at RM3.80 to the US dollar. The overall effect has been low economic activity with the Malaysian economy entering into the recession for the first time in ten years by registering a growth rate of negative 1.8% for the last quarter.

6. Let me say here that as far as Parti Bersatu Sabah is concerned, the dilemma of the Malaysian economy is not an entire surprise. In the national parliament PBS elected representatives were the first to sound a warning to the federal government to examine carefully known weaknesses of the national economy, including the existing financial system, and take the necessary action to overcome the problems. Two years ago we warned the government about what happened in Mexico three years earlier and what was happening then to the Thailand economy which had entered into recession. Our members of parliament sounded the warning that the Malaysian economy may well be a "bubble economy" which was heavily dependent on over-valued property assets and capital stocks.

7. I personally questioned the government about its definition of "economic fundamentals" which was described as "strong". I mentioned then that there were signs that the economy was weakening, giving signal that there were loopholes in the financial system and that our economic fundamentals might not be strong after all. Of course, as usual the government replied that there was no cause for PBS to worry "because the Malaysian economy was different from the economies of Mexico or Thailand". Today, we know that the national economy is in deep trouble. Successive measures have been implemented to overcome the problems of the Ringgit’s depreciation, poor confidence in the capital market, high level of NPL, credit squeeze and, overall negative growth of the economy, but so far results have not been forthcoming. Most economists in the region predict that it will be at least two years before we see a major turnaround of the Malaysian economy and the worst may yet to come for some countries in the region.

8. In more recent days, of course, many political changes have since taken place in the federal government set-up and as well as in the Barisan Nasional component party of UMNO. Our stand here is simple. We all want Malaysia to be strong economically and politically, and to be governed on the fundamental principles of true democracy, justice, fair play and human rights. What is happening in the politics of UMNO is entirely their own affairs. One thing is certainly clear. The Barisan Nasional central government and UMNO in particular is not as strong and stable as what their leaders claim to be.

9. We must learn from this recent national experience and remind ourselves that at the end of the day, Malaysians in Sabah must take care of their own affairs. We must unite and chart our own economic ideals and destiny while, at the same time, play our rightful role in the Malaysian federation. No one else can truly help us except ourselves. We must help ourselves. And we must help other Malaysians in Sabah to realise that only they and themselves can change and set their destiny. In this regard, there is only one house and vehicle to achieve the goals. That is, Parti Bersatu Sabah, the only party that has not lost any State election in the past.

10. In Sabah the economic situation is even worst. The import sector, especially wholesaling and retailing, was very depressed for the last twelve months due to the volatile exchange rate that forced importers to hedge against losses by increasing margins and therefore retail prices of imported goods. The State government has also continued to face a crisis in its finances with both the 1997 and 1998 State budgets having a shortfall of at least RM600 – RM800 million in both instances, forcing massive cuts of previously approved development programmes.

11. We have reliably learnt that many departments and statutory bodies are having problems even to pay the salaries of their staff, not to mention the outstanding salary adjustments, housing allowances and overtime claims that have not been settled by the government. We believe the State government today is financially insolvent and virtually on the verge of bankruptcy because of the drastic drop in revenue earnings and failure to budget prudently.

12. This situation has been the result of lack of planning, poor budgeting, mismanagement of the State’s resources, discontinuity of financial policies and management due to constant changes of portfolio among cabinet ministers, and administrative instability caused by rotation of the chief minister’s post. Further, the State administrative system has not functioned effectively because of continuing irrational transfers of civil servants and questionable promotions of many officers which have led to frustration and demoralisation among the rank and file in the civil service.

13. To top it all, the political leadership of the State government has no long-term vision for the development of Sabah and its people. The leaders have been merely pre-occupied with lobbying to occupy the chief minister’s ‘musical chair’ and take care of their individual teams. It is a government dominated by self and group interests. The Barisan Nasional leaders have no time for the people at the grassroots’ level as proven by the absence of development projects and ground visits by government politicians to their respective constituencies.

14. The overall impact of the State BN administration the people of Sabah has been disastrous. There is no visible or felt development, particularly in the rural sector of the economy. The much shouted slogan about a New Sabah (Sabah Baru) is nowhere to be seen. The talked about grand promises of "100 days development, providing a house for every Sabahan, constructing 2000 miles of new roads and 200 miles of new rail track, achieving zero-level poverty and zero illiteracy rate by the year 2000" have remained mere promises. They were used purely as "election baits" during the 1994 State election to hoodwink the people into voting for the Barisan Nasional, which nevertheless failed to win the election.

15. It is indeed a sorry state of affairs. Yet, the situation is exactly what we predicted in 1994. After all what can you expect from a government that did not have the mandate of the people? A government that is not elected by the people through the democratic process will always be an irresponsible government because it is not accountable to the people for its actions. Such a government will surely abuse its power and disregard the voices of the majority.

16. These are some of the salient economic and political scenarios that we face in Sabah today. It is important that we take time to reflect on them and appreciate their implications on our daily lives and future destiny. By acknowledging and understanding their existence, we should come to realise that we live in a borderless world and that the world and external environment around us are constantly changing. Sabah in particular is no longer the Sabah that we used to know and appreciate. This situation should challenge us to rise up to the occasion, hold fast to our political struggle, and work harder than before to change the situation in line with the aspirations and desire of the people for a prosperous and dignified Sabah.

17. I would like to remind all of you here that there is only one way to change the economic and political situation in Sabah today. That is, to reject the Barisan Nasional in the next State election and to vote in Parti Bersatu Sabah as the new government of the State.

18. As we should all be aware, the mission and objectives of our party are clearly spelt out in the party constitution. There are ten principal objectives which everyone of us should be familiar with. You can read it in the party constitution as well as in the PBS Homepage on the Internet. On this auspicious occasion I would like to refresh our minds on some of these goals so that we can fully appreciate why we are gathered here today. This should also remind us of our political struggle and make us respond to the call on each and everyone of us to strive with greater determination and resilience to fulfil our mission.

19. First is our stated goal to pursue unity for the people of Sabah. This is actually the most important tenet of our political struggle. This is why our party is called Parti Bersatu Sabah (Sabah United Party). The unity goal is further strengthened by the handshake symbol which forms the identity of our party. We should take time to reflect on this noble goal and appreciate its meaning and implications for the economic and socio-political destiny of the people of Sabah.

20. It must be stressed that in Malaysia today, PBS is the only truly multi-racial party in existence. And I believe wholeheartedly no party in Sabah has successfully united the polyglot of races in the State aside from Parti Bersatu Sabah. This we achieved during our nine years in government and we are still successfully preserving that unity today through PBS. We are the only party that truly pursues and practises multi-racial politics. This is our strength and uniqueness.

21. The pursuit of unity of the people and the practice of multi-racial politics are timeless in their concepts. While the Barisan Nasional practises a ‘divide and rule’ policy, we pursue unity through our multi-racial political struggle. The Barisan Nasional political framework is outmoded and outdated. PBS pursuit of unity and multi-racial politics is progressive and timeless. We must all appreciate this fact, preserve it and share it with others so that the people at large can understand and embrace the noble goals of the party.

22. On this important occasion let me, once again, take the opportunity to stress that PBS, being a multi-racial party, has a place for everyone in Sabah. Whatever belief, religion, culture and ethnicity you have or belong to, man or woman, I have a special room for you in the PBS house. Believe me, there is no other party like PBS. Come let us join hands, work together and move forward together to ensure that the unity of the people of Sabah is protected and preserved.

23. Another basic ingredient of our political struggle is the pursuit and defence of the democratic process and rights of the people. Constitutionally, Malaysia practises federalism as the democratic form of government. This being so, it is the duty of all Malaysians not only to support democracy but more importantly to safeguard the democratic rights of the people so that the democratic process is truly followed in the formation of State or federal governments.

24. It is precisely because of this fact that Parti Bersatu Sabah has been consistently vocal in defending the practice of true democracy in Sabah and Malaysia as a whole. For I believe it is not only wrong but sinful for a country to merely talk about democracy but not practise it. This is why we voice and defend the basic freedoms due to the common man – dignity, religion, expression, association, culture, and other basic needs.

25. This is also precisely the reason why we have been tirelessly fighting for the principle that a government which preaches democracy in its constitution must be elected by the people through a clean, transparent and fair election. As we have repeatedly said over the last four and a half years, the present BN State government is not a government of the people, by the people or for the people because it has not been elected through the democratic process.

26. This is actually shameful to say the least. Since 1994, PBS leaders have been calling on the State government to resign and obtain a proper mandate from the people through a general election. Unashamed of their non-elected status as the government, they have preferred to ignore our call. Still sooner or later, the people of Sabah will surely meet them in the next election. And we know what the verdict will be. The voters will reject the Barisan Nasional and return PBS as the rightful government of the people.

27. On this special day, I call upon all PBS leaders, members and supporters to recommit yourselves to the noble struggle of defending democracy in Sabah. We are doing this on behalf of our children and grandchildren and for the good of Malaysia. Let us not tire in fighting for justice and the rights of the people for this is our basic right. It is also the cornerstone of economic progress and national endeavour, for prosperity has no meaning if democracy is stifled and justice denied to the citizens at large.

28. In any political struggle the pursuit of development and progress is fundamental. The simplest definition of politics is the mobilisation of people towards a common goal of achieving power so that change and development can be effected to improve their economic well-being. In PBS this is our basic political pursuit: that is, to ensure that Sabah is rescued from its present economic and political mess and to implement socio-economic changes that will restore Sabah’s dignity and usher the people into a new era of economic progress and prosperity.

29. During PBS’ nine-year term in government we proved beyond any doubt that PBS is capable of successfully governing Sabah. It demonstrated efficient management of the State economy, protected the interests of all communities, ensured equitable development for all, reduced the economic gap between the urban and rural sectors, preserved the cultural heritage of the people, safeguarded the integrity and independence of the civil service, and ardently defended State rights. Above all, PBS ensured visible and tangible economic progress of the people, particularly in the rural sector. The track record is clear, solid and exemplary.

30. The BN State government, on the other hand, despite all their Sabah Baru promises, is only good in talking but hopeless in delivering the goods to the people. This is now their famous trademark – "cakap tak serupa bikin". A government such as this does not deserve to continue governing the State. We appeal to the people of Sabah to consider the future destiny of our beloved land and to put an end to the horrifying economic and political mess prevailing in Sabah today.

31. It is well-known that the political struggle of PBS is closely identified with the struggle for State rights. Indeed no other party in Sabah aside from PBS has achieved a track record of consistently voicing concerns against the erosion of State rights. It has selflessly defended the constitutional rights of the people of Sabah in the federation of Malaysia. For this action, we have often been misunderstood and unfairly labeled as anti-federal in our attitude and stand. Nothing could be further from the truth. All we have done is to consistently remind the federal government that it has constitutional obligations to respect the rights and privileges of Sabah as guaranteed through the 20-Points memorandum, inter-governmental committee (IGC) report, the Malaysia Agreement and the Federal constitution.

32. Let me stress here that we have no other motive in defending the rights of Sabah other than to ensure that the rights of peripheral states in the federation are respected and protected as basis for building a cohesive nation and harmonious federal-state relationship. I sincerely believe that we can never achieve a united Malaysia if the constitutional rights of states in the federation are ignored, eroded or for that matter, totally bulldozed. For such actions will only promote resentment and disrespect towards the central government. Such a situation surely does not benefit anyone. And it is precisely for this reason that the defense of State rights is entrenched as one of the stated political goals of Parti Bersatu Sabah.

33. I would like to assure all of us here that PBS will never waver from its constitutional goal of defending the rights of Sabah in the federation through the political process. This I believe is in the interest of all Sabahans as well as the federal government. We will continue to explore and identify common grounds for working together with the central government in our efforts to safeguard the State’s interests and to develop these rights as the vehicle for economic progress and development in Sabah.

34. In my opening speech at the 12^th Congress last year, I identified and addressed a number of economic, political and administrative problems faced by the people of Sabah which were caused by the present State government. I stressed then that Sabah was at the crossroads and, of course, still is. The major concerns include the following:

The stagnant State economy and mismanaged State finances.
Disorder in State administrative machinery and demoralised civil service.
Irrational privatisation and divestment of State corporations.
Massive sale of commercial forest reserves.
Questionable land deals – FMUs and seafront lands.
Unresolved foreign labour and illegal immigrants problem.
Barisan Nasional’s culture of broken promises.
Wasting public funds through "Sabah Boleh" project.
Polluted electoral rolls.
Displaced priorities with "electronic government" preoccupation.

35. Let me stress here that today these problems have continued to persist with no apparent effort or capacity of the BN State government to resolve them. In some cases, such as the performance of the State economy and the unabated presence of illegal immigrants, the problems have actually gone from bad to worse. The BN State government has continued to show its hopelessness in resolving the various problems despite calls by the public and our party to prove its capability and sincerity in solving the various woes and hardships faced by the people.

36. In view of the fact that this is the final PBS Congress before the State general election, I would like to take this opportunity to share with you all the general approach that an elected PBS government would take to tackle the various economic and administrative problems caused by the present administration. Naturally, the task would not be easy because the damages that have occurred are so fundamental and serious that they would require not only foresight and wisdom of the highest order but, more importantly, solid political mandate from the Sabah electorate. This is necessary in order to put Sabah back on the dignified track and redeem the precious years lost during the present BN government’s irresponsible terms of office.

37. Of course, it is not possible for me at this stage to disclose in detail the programmes and strategies that PBS will formulate and implement to re-chart the destiny of Sabah. This I will do when we launch the PBS election manifesto as soon as the State Assembly is dissolved. Let me inform all of you here that our party’s manifesto for the coming election has been prepared, discussed in detail by the party leaders, and ready to be unveiled at any time the State Assembly is dissolved.

38. It cannot be denied that the Sabah economy is undergoing a serious economic downturn and experiencing a severe squeeze in revenue earnings. Due to weaknesses in planning and management of the economy as a whole and the State’s finances in particular, the people of Sabah are now faced with a dark future unless a change takes place in the administration of the State. What the people need is a government that is sincere, honest and responsible which can manage the State economy in an efficient, clean, trustworthy and professional manner, particularly in the context of finance and economic management.

39. For the information of all of us here, let me explain the actual economic situation of the State in terms of actual growth as measured by the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The available statistics shows that the rate of growth in GDP for Sabah this year has dropped to negative 2% compared to 2.1% in 1994. The statistics also indicate that during the term of the present BN government (1994-1998) the average annual GDP growth was only 3.1% compared to 6.2% during the PBS government’s era, which was 6.2% for the period 1980-1989 and 4.6% for the term 1990-1993.

40. It is therefore clearly shown that the accusation made against PBS that there was no economic development during its period of administration is totally false and unfounded. When viewed purely from the growth of the State economy in GDP terms, the record is clear. Economic development during the PBS administration was more dynamic, rigorous and widespread than during the present BN government’s era.

41. There is no need for me to show more sophisticated statistical proof on this matter because many people do not understand complicated economic concepts and may only get confused in the process. Nevertheless, I suggest we check for ourselves and compare the standard and amount of rural development carried out during the BN government’s four years in office and the PBS administration’s record for the period 1985-1994. When the comparison is done, it is clear that the PBS government was more caring and sensitive to the socio-economic needs of the people of Sabah than the Barisan Nasional government.

42. I stressed earlier that the BN State government is facing a crisis in its revenue sources and collection. As a result, over the last few years it embarked on a programme of massive sale of government companies, forest reserves, town and sea-front lands and divestment of government shares in listed companies in order to raise revenue. There was no effort undertaken to widen the revenue base of the State by exploiting new sources of revenue or, for that matter, improving collection of existing revenues such as timber royalties, land cess and council rates. The present government has also continued to budget for programmes that cannot be supported by the existing amount of collected revenue thereby incurring huge budget deficits for the last two years. This is not only an irresponsible act on the part of the government but plain incapability and management failure.

43. Let me state here that an elected PBS government will undertake a major economic revamp of the State’s economic planning and management framework which will include the following actions and re-engineering:

Restore dignity and stability in the State’s economic planning process by scrapping the rotation system of the chief minister’s post and avoiding unwarranted cabinet reshuffle and civil servants transfer. This is to put an end to the disorder and disruptive changes that have hampered proper economic planning and management of the State’s financial resources.
Re-establish professional budgeting practice in the preparation of State budgets to ensure that expenditure estimates are rational and consistent with collected revenue from recurrent and stable income sources.
Explore and exploit new sources of public revenue without adding financial burden on ordinary taxpayers and low-income groups. There is a great potential and opportunity for the tourism industry, export crop sector and other land-based business activities to contribute more to State revenue earnings.
Re-engineer the collection system of existing revenue items to improve speed of collection, eliminate leakages and instil accountability.
Put an immediate stop to the Barisan Nasional’s practice of selling precious State assets and profitable enterprises to raise annual revenue.
Re-prioritise economic development policies in favour of rural development while facilitating optimal growth of urban centres and improving standard of living of urban dwellers.
Establish a culture of financial prudence among controlling officers in all government bodies and improve accountability through financial discipline at all levels of the administrative machinery.

44. I wish to assure all of you that elected PBS government will at all times do a much better job in managing the State economy than the BN government. We have proven during our nine years in government that PBS is sincere, capable and experienced in planning and managing the State’s finances and economic programmes. We have the track record in economic management and performance.

45. The PBS government brought more development projects to the people of Sabah when in office than the present government, especially in the rural sector. In PBS today, we have more than enough experience, professional skills and vision among our leaders and supporters than ever before. We are ready to re-assume the seat of government and prove to the world once again that we can govern the State better than the Barisan Nasional government.

46. We are all aware of the unprecedented actions by the BN government to sell 5 million acres of commercial forest reserves and hundreds of thousands of acres of State land for agriculture. Further, many thousand acres of prime sea-front lands stretching from Kuala Penyu, through Kudat and all the way to Semporna, and an unaccounted number of town lands were either sold or given away quietly as land swaps for dubious property development projects. All these deals were done quietly which is contrary to the government’s much publicised policy of auctioning public land supposedly in the name of transparency.

47. At the same time many urban and rural people have been displaced from their land that they owned through customary rights but not respected by large corporations which obtained large tracts of land that overlapped NCR lands. With the 1997 amendments to the State Land Ordinance (CAP 68), natives’ claim to ownership of rural lands based on customary rights has been badly eroded. This has caused displacement among rural land owners as well as worsening the plight of those who are landless, particularly younger members of rural families who usually own land through a system of inheritance.

48. Surely no previous government in Sabah has ever undertaken a massive sale of the State’s forest and land resources in such an aimless manner than the present Barisan Nasional government. It is a record that the people of Sabah should not only question but should reverse or undo when the opportunity arises. Let me assure all of you that an elected PBS government will undertake the following measures to develop fair and sustainable land policies, protect customary rights, and restore proper processing system of land application and title issuance:

Formulate a new land policy to ensure optimal utilisation of land resources, consistent with the State’s comparative advantage in agricultural production, to enable land ownership by landless urban and rural people, and provide guidelines for sustainable use of land.
Review the State Land Ordinance (CAP 68) to restore and strengthen Native Customary Rights (NCR) which were eroded by the Barisan Nasional government.
Revamp the existing processing system of land application to reduce bottlenecks and shorten the waiting period for surveying and issuance of titles.
Investigate into all land approvals given by the BN government to large corporations that have infringed or overlapped lands owned by urban and rural natives as well as all lands given discreetly without settling the proper premium, compensation to affected parties or other costs to the State. Where terms of agreement have been breached or deals were not in favour of the State, an elected PBS government will take the necessary action to correct the situation, including cancelling the said agreement and repossessing the asset.
Review the State agricultural policy to promote agricultural crops and food production as an import substitution strategy where there is comparative advantage and political rationale to do so.

49. In respect of the timber sector, an elected PBS government will review the present forest policies and rules, management and administrative systems, manpower requirement and training, and revenue collection criteria and methods with the view to ensuring that policies, management and priorities are consistent with sustainability goals and practices. We will also study all the approvals given by the BN government to large corporations to own huge areas of forest reserves for 100-years lease through the Forest Management Units (FMU) system to ensure that procedures have been adhered to and the State’s interests protected.

50. Our strong opinion on this matter, consistent with rational economic thinking, is that key public assets which can be over-exploited at the expense of future generations should not be left entirely in the hands of profit-seeking corporations or private individuals to own and manage. We believe that the people of Sabah would want to restore the State’s control and ownership of forest reserves. An elected PBS government will pursue this goal for the benefit of the people of Sabah.

51. Under the present BN State government, rural development has been literally set aside in terms of priorities. The rural economy in all districts has shrunk and many retail outlets are finding it hard to survive. With higher prices of basic necessities such as rice, sugar, cooking oil, salt, flour and other food items, the purchasing power of the rural people has diminished. This low purchasing power has in turn led to poor demand for rural agricultural produce thereby making numerous rural families economically worst off than previously. It is therefore a fact that the number of poor families, especially in the hardcore poverty groups have drastically increased during the present government’s term of office. The BN government’s promises to eradicate poverty and provide a house for every Sabahan by the year 2000 have remained mere political gimmicks because no visible effort has been made to fulfil them.

52. Indeed the Barisan Nasional’s "Sabah Baru" promises of bringing development to the rural sector have totally failed. Today the economic landscape of rural districts is dominated by poor roads that are hardly serviced, clogged drains, frequent power breakdowns, water supply shortage, high youth unemployment and, of course, persistent lack of clean water, proper housing, and employment opportunities. Even if there happened to be some minor development projects approved by the government for a given area, the implementation has been typically hopeless. In most cases, the quality of completed projects is sub-standard with numerous reports of misuse of development funds.

53. An elected PBS government will restore the priority to modernise the rural sector through implementation of sustainable, culture-friendly development programmes aimed at promoting economic self-reliance among the rural people. Among the programmes to be implemented will include:

Intensification of profitable agricultural activities to produce more local food items such as rice, corn, fruits and vegetables as means to improve farmer incomes and substitute imported foodstuff.
Review and revamp the role and functions of agricultural-related agencies to enhance agricultural production and productivity. The aim is to create a dynamic rural economy that generates income sources for farmers and employment for rural youths.
Formulate and implement the concept of "nucleus estates" in economically depressed areas to allow for a major land development by government agencies or private corporations that encompasses the development of idle land owned by poor farmers. The idea is to make farm households the participants in such projects rather than mere wage earners.
Review of huge agricultural projects that have no Sabahan interest and employ a large amount of foreign workers. The aim is to ensure that land-based agricultural projects must have minimum local participation and give priorities to Sabahans as workers at all levels of operation, including providing training to equip locals to assume such jobs.
Re-instate the importance of credit provision for rural businesses, especially micro credit such as the Project Usahamaju pioneered by the then PBS government.

Civil Service and Manpower Training

54. It is public knowledge that the State civil service today is in a great mess. There is great unhappiness among civil servants because of irrational transfers, non-transparent and inconsistent criteria for promotion. Many civil servants are also faced with non-payment of salary adjustments and bonuses (for some categories of officers), poor access to training awards and displacement of their families caused by the destruction of staff housing in Kota Kinabalu. Sabah civil servants today are a demoralised lot. An elected PBS government will formulate and implement the following to restore dignity and respect within the civil service fraternity:

Uphold the integrity and independence of the public service by reviewing the role and functions of the State Public Services Commission (PSC) to make it more pro-active, creative, independent and transparent and thereby evolve a dynamic civil service.
Restore meritocracy and other transparent criteria as basis for promotion and other awards.
Ensure that access to training awards is equitable, fair and based on merit.
Restore respect due to civil servants and their families by ensuring that provision of housing and other fringe benefits are adequate and consistent with standards provided by other related sectors.
Rationalise the deployment of civil servants to ensure skills are appropriately used and thereby eliminate redundant manpower and reduce financial outlays for the public sector.
Review existing training policies for the unemployed especially youths to make programmes industry-specific so that employment is guaranteed after the completion of training, and to make such programme accessible to all Sabahans.
Organise and coordinate the placement of Sabahan workers in other States especially Semenanjung Malaysia where some 20,000 young Sabahans are now working. This is to ensure that they are not abused by unscrupulous employers and, at the same time, placed in targeted industries and sectors where their skills are beneficial to the Sabah economy in the long term. The Sabah Liaison Office in Kuala Lumpur will be revamped to accommodate this function.

Concluding Remarks

55. What I have just outlined are some of the strategic ideas and general approach that an elected PBS government would adopt to revamp the State economy, revitalise the agricultural sector and widen income sources. Such steps would also restore an efficient and dynamic civil service, provide employment and manpower skills to Sabah youths and make manpower training relevant to the industry’s needs.

56. You will realise that some of these programmes were already implemented by the PBS government with great success during its term of office. They were discontinued by the present BN government thereby causing problems in the economic and public sectors such as the scenarios I described earlier.

57. The full details of how Parti Bersatu Sabah will address problems in other sectors and segments of the State will be unveiled when we launch our election manifesto. As I stressed earlier, we are ready to assume office of the State government. We have the vision, foresight, planning skills, management experience, and political support to formulate and implement our rescue plan for Sabah. We have proven our sincerity, ability and capacity in the past as the government of Sabah.

58. The BN government has performed miserably for the last four and a half years when compared to our track record. The present State government cannot be allowed to continue governing. They have not done anything good for the people aside from being pre-occupied with the chief minister’s post, changing State laws, disrupting administrative system, and making promises after promises. This is an appalling record that cannot be allowed to repeat.

59. As we gather at this 13^th Congress, let us be mindful of the people’s expectation and yearning for Parti Bersatu Sabah to be returned to power to correct the misdeeds of the present government. This is a noble task which no single person can achieve. It can only be done if we remain united, committed to the struggle, resilient in the face of adversities, and tireless in our pursuits.

60. I call on each and every one of you this morning to register for duty and brace ourselves for the tasks ahead. We have passed the worst part of the journey. Victory is within sight. But we need is to take those last few steps to capture and grasp the victory torch. We can do it. We have done it four consecutive times before. Come. Let us together rescue Sabah for the sake of our children and grandchildren.