Pairin tells Jeffrey to stop dreaming

LABUAN, Nov 5 (Daily Express) --- Keadilan Vice President Datuk Jeffery Kitingan should not be carried away by Parti President Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim's call for changes, his brother and PBS President Datuk Seri Pairin Kitingan said.

"Nobody knows what other changes Keadilan is talking about and there is no way it can form the next Federal Government.

"Stop talking about changes when changes have been made as we now have a new Prime Minister after 22 years. We should give him the opportunity to achieve the goals. He is a person with a vision that is close to our hearts and Jeffrey should help him for the good of Sabah," he said.

According to Pairin, major issues affecting Sabah such as illegal immigrants, drugs, sharing of powers and poverty were all being addressed. The Federal Government has also made a huge allocation on the 9th Malaysia Plan for Sabah.

Pairin who was here for a three-day visit with a 30-member delegation largely comprising members from Tambunan said Keadilan could hope to achieve nothing in Sabah .

He noted that one common complaint by Barisan Nasional component parties was that the power sharing was lopsided with inadequate opportunities for BN components to have representation in statutory bodies.

He said the matter was being looked into and action would be taken. "We cannot expect sudden changes to come about. We have to wait in the spirit of Barisan Nasional."

He said the Federal Government's intentions for Sabah are good and it would be an uphill battle for any opposition to win seats.

Regarding Jeffrey's talk of returning Labuan to Sabah if Keadilan formed the next Federal Government, Pairin said it was a political gimmick as "it is out of question for Keadilan to have majority control in Parliament.

"Besides, the Federal Territory status of Labuan had been legislated."

On Labuan he said many in Sabah's remote and interior are still not aware of the island's progress.

Visits like this will help spread this by word of mouth.

He said the publicity would also help Labuan draw more tourists from Sabah's interior towns.

The delegation were also entertained with a gala dinner at the Golf Club hosted by Labuan PBS. Headed by Peter Mak.