PBS to CM : Disclose details of Likas Bay seafront land

PRESS RELEASE IN LIKAS TODAY, 28 JUNE 1998
PBS TO CM: DISCLOSE DETAILS OF LIKAS BAY SEAFRONT LAND

LIKAS, Sun. - Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) today called on Chief Minister Tan Sri Bernard Dompok to disclose the full details regarding the award of some 500 acres of prime seafront land in Likas Bay to ensure transparency and that public interests are protected.

PBS deputy president Dr Maximus Ongkili said thus far the government including former Chief Minister and Likas assemblyman Datuk Yong Teck Lee has remained silent on the matter despite numerous requests by the public and PBS assemblymen to answer questions pertaining to the award of the land to a public listed company.

Dr Ongkili made the statement while officiating the 13^th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the PBS Likas division in Kg. Likas this morning attended by some 200 branch leaders and supporters.

"Members of the public, media and PBS assemblymen through questions in the State assembly have confronted Likas assemblyman Datuk Yong Teck Lee when he was still Chief Minister regarding the rationale behind the award and name of beneficiaries of the Likas Bay land but there was no satisfactory answer given, " he said.

He claimed there was a subsequent government statement that the project had been suspended but at the same time "the land was still given to the company concerned."

The Bandau member of parliament urged new Chief Minister Tan Sri Bernard Dompok to explain to the people of Sabah and Likas the full details surrounding the award of the land, adding that "full disclosure was necessary in the name of transparency and public interest since former Chief Minister Datuk Yong Teck Lee has refused to answer questions on the matter."

"Specifically, the people of Likas and Sabah generally want Tan Sri Bernard Dompok to answer the following questions:

How many acres of the Likas Bay seafront was approved and given away to the private company or companies?
What is the rationale behind the decision to give away the land and how much did the government earn in terms of premium?
Who are the directors and shareholders of the company or companies awarded the land?
What is the participation of local businessmen in the project and how many percent was given to local bumiputeras?
Is it true that the land is now being sub-divided into some 20 over lots and who are the owners of the individual lots?
Why is the land still being awarded to the private company or companies when the project was supposed to have been scrapped?
Why are premium seafront lands being given freely to large public listed companies when there are hundreds or maybe thousands of native Likas residents who are landless and are being forced out of their settlement areas by the government?
Why is the government approving such a huge area of seafront land when there has been no Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) study undertaken on the project?"

Dr Ongkili also raised the problem of local residents and settlers in several kampungs in the Likas constituency who were being displaced from their land, including residents in kg. Sabang, kg. Suang Parai, kg. Cenderakasih, kg. Bogoon and kg. Tobobon without much government attention being given to them.

He advised the PBS divisional and branch leaders to strengthen their party machinery and get ready for the next election which could be held anytime.

"Through the coming election Sabah must be freed from the political and economic mess created by the Barisan Nasional especially the damaging effects of the rotation of the Chief Minister's post on the administration of the State and livelihood of the people," he argued.