KOTA MARUDU, Mon. – Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) today stressed its stand that the rotation of the Chief Minister would lead to administrative disruptions, policy changes, unwarranted reshuffle of government officials, instability, and huge financial costs to the people of Sabah.

Its deputy president Dr Maximus Ongkili said the change of chief minister at a time when the State was engulfed in economic uncertainties and administrative disorder would not serve the real interests of the people especially the electorate who rejected the Barisan Nasional during the 1994 State election.

Dr Ongkili was speaking while opening the annual general meeting (AGM) of the PBS Tandek Youth and Wanita movements this morning which was attended by about 200 delegates.

"The people of Sabah now have to tolerate a fourth chief minister in four years. A cabinet reshuffle will follow as well as other unwanted administrative changes. Even the new picture of the chief minister and cabinet line up would have to be printed. The new chief minister will also be shopping for his new vehicles and other entitlements. These are financial burdens of the Sabah tax payers which they could do without," he claimed.

Dr Ongkili said it was a sad affair that while the State Barisan Nasional was once again preoccupied with the chief minister’s musical chair, "the promises of 100 days development, providing a house for every Sabahan and eradicating poverty and illiteracy by the year 2000 remained merely lip service so far."

The Bandau member of parliament alleged that the 2-year period under the present chief minister Datuk Yong Teck Lee was a non-event especially when judged from the stated goals of Sabah Baru, adding that scores of questions on development raised by PBS in the State Assembly had not been answered.

"Specifically, we want to ask five fundamental questions to Datuk Yong Teck Lee before he steps down as chief minister on May 27:

1. How many acres of Sabah agricultural land were given to companies during his 2-year term as chief minister? What are the names of the companies and who are their shareholders?
2. How may acres of coastal lands were given to companies and individuals during his 2-year term as chief minister? Where are the coastal lands located? What are the company names and who are the shareholders?
3. How many acres of town lands were given away through tender during his 2-year term as chief minister? What was the total revenue obtained, consistent with his promise in the 1996 State budget speech to dispose off all town lands through tender?
4. How many acres of forest reserves were given away as Forest Management Units (FMU) and as individual logging concessions during his 2-year term as chief minister? Further, how many logging licenses were issued to private companies to harvest logs from areas within FMUs during his term of office? To whom were these licenses given and who are their owners?
5. What action has been taken during his 2-year term as chief minister to rescue the unit value of Saham Amanah Sabah (SAS) which now stands at a mere 25 cents per unit?"

On SAS Dr Ongkili said PBS maintains its stand that a severe drop of the value of SAS shares was due to poor investment decisions especially the decision to invest in speculative and gambling counters.

"It is a sad affair that a lot of poor people’s money is stuck in SAS. Presently, a piece of goreng pisang in Kota Kinabalu is more expensive than the unit value of SAS share. Obviously, something has gone drastically wrong in the manner SAS shareholders’ funds were invested. What has the present chief minister done about this matter?", he asked.

The PBS Tandek divisional AGM will be held tomorrow (May 26) to be officially closed by deputy president Malek Chua, where the party is expected to make further statements on the rotation system and appointment of the new chief minister.

Copyright © Sabah United Party (Parti Bersatu Sabah), Malaysia. All rights reserved.
First published: 22-SEP-1997   Updated: 07-MAY-2003 Email: webmaster