Jeffrey's take on <b>Sabah</b> Chinese 'unfair' - The Borneo Post Online Berita Sabah - News 2 Sabah |
| Jeffrey's take on <b>Sabah</b> Chinese 'unfair' - The Borneo Post Online Posted: 19 Jan 2014 08:34 AM PST KOTA KINABALU: A significant part of Sabah's development and progress over the last 150 years or so can be attributed to its Chinese community, said State Assembly Deputy Speaker Datuk Johnny Mositun. Speaking in his personal capacity, Mositun stressed that to say otherwise is not only incorrect and unfair but can also be considered a denial of facts. It was not totally right to label Sabah's Chinese community as one that was only interested in doing business and not interested in protecting the state's political rights and interests, he said. "Generalisation like this is grossly unfair and not based on the facts. It is true that the Chinese community is hard working and business-minded, but that is not to the exclusion of politics and the state's welfare," Mositun, who is also Parti Bersatu Sabah secretary general, said when met at the launch of the Chinese New Year Carnival at Lintasan Deasoka here Saturday. He said it was a natural phenomenon that the majority Bumiputera communities would be at the forefront of Malaysian politics because of historical, cultural and social realities. "But that does not necessarily imply that non-Bumiputera communities are reluctant or unwilling to engage in politics. The facts prove otherwise. Just look at the number of non-Bumiputera based political parties in the country and the state," he said. Mositun said the local Chinese community was at the forefront of opposition to the Japanese when Imperial Japanese forces occupied North Borneo (Sabah) during World War II. "And they paid a terrible price for that. How can anyone now say that our fellow Sabahan Chinese don't care about our state. Even when the formation of Malaysia was first proposed, the Chinese community clearly voiced out its concerns and demands for constitutional safeguards for Sabah. Clearly, anyone who believes the Chinese community in Sabah is indifferent to preserving and protecting state rights is either misled or mistaken," Mositun said. Mositun said his own party, PBS, had a large Chinese and Sino-KDM membership that played a very important role in party affairs and maintaining the party's strength and influence in state politics. "Just see what happened in Sabah in GE13. Even the opposition acknowledges the fact that a significant swing in Chinese votes helped it win in many urban constituencies. So what is the logic behind the contention that the Chinese are not concerned about Sabah's rights and interest? I cannot subscribe to such a preposterous suggestion," Mositun said.  To enable your comment to be published, please refrain from vulgar language, insidious, seditious or slanderous remarks. This includes vulgar user names.  |
| SESB should compensate consumers – Jeffrey – BorneoPost Online <b>...</b> Posted: 25 Jan 2014 06:14 PM PST KOTA KINABALU: STAR Sabah contended that it was irresponsible of Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd (SESB) to push the blame for the recent statewide blackout to its IPP supplier when it shut down its four turbines to prevent potential damage. Its chief Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan asserted that based on this reason, blackout was intentionally caused and the IPP should be made to pay for the blackout and SESB should not avoid its responsibility to its consumers in Sabah. He said massive losses, not counting inconveniences to more than 500,000 consumers, were caused by the blackout which lasted for up to eight hours in some areas in Sabah and Labuan. "Will SESB accept the situation where all the Sabah consumers avoid its responsibility and refuse to pay its bills to SESB?" asked Jeffrey in response to SESB's excuse for the blackout and refusal to compensate consumers in Sabah and Labuan. "The bare minimum that SESB can offer its long-suffering consumers is the revocation of the 16.9% tariff hike and a further discount to compensate for the losses of consumers," he added. Jeffrey said it is unacceptable for SESB to deny liability and blame the IPP concerned and at the same time give the excuse it has no money to pay compensation or that it is losing money. And if it is a losing concern, give SESB back to the State government. Thus, the Bingkor assemblyman urged the board of directors and its senior management of SESB to start work on a full plan to provide electrification for the whole of Sabah. After 50 years in Malaysia, Sabahans have waited long enough and have suffered enough, Jeffrey said, adding that SESB should also work out a compensation package for consumers in Sabah and Labuan and submit both plans to their bosses in Kuala Lumpur for the money to be sent to Sabah. "If it needs RM4 billion to achieve a SAIDI of 60 minutes like in Peninsula Malaysia, then SESB must ask for it to be done. Even if it costs RM14 billion to achieve full electrification for the whole of Sabah, then demand that the RM14 billion be given. Sabah deserves this RM4 billion or RM14 billion allocation. "Sabah is not an appendage to the peninsula. Sabah is not in the Federation of Malaysia as a passenger living on the revenues of other states. In 2014, Sabah will be contributing RM26.6 billion in oil revenue, only Sarawak will be contributing more. In 2015/2016, Sabah's contribution will be more than RM50 billion. "If the Sarawak government is able to manage its own power supply and without increasing tariff for 2014, there is no reason why the Sabah government cannot do it," he stressed. As for the Sabah BN-led state government which holds a 20 per cent stake in SESB, Jeffrey contended that it should not just sit and listen to SESB make its presentation of excuses and denials of responsibility. "It is high time for the Sabah government to sit up and play an assertive role in SESB, not as a passenger, and ensure SESB fulfills its obligations to provide cheap and available electricity without interruption throughout the whole of Sabah within the shortest span of time. "The Sabah government owes the people of Sabah this responsibility," he said. To enable your comment to be published, please refrain from vulgar language, insidious, seditious or slanderous remarks. This includes vulgar user names. |
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