Far from the picture of ‘transient visitors’ painted by Sabah Progressive People’s Party (SAPP) president Yong Teck Lee, Pakatan Rakyat Sabah is here to stay.
Sabah DAP Assistant Secretary Junz Wong said this in response to SAPP criticism that “Pakatan Rakyat leaders only come and go without resolving Sabahan problems”.
Wong gave examples of Pakatan Rakyat’s contributions to assist Sabahans despite not helming the state or federal government. He attributed the ongoing Royal Commission of Inquiry hearings into the illegal immigrant problem in Sabah, as a result of pressure by Pakatan Rakyat to uncover the decades old undocumented issue.
Evidence that has come to light during the RCI hearing has shown the disturbing truth of Project IC and how it was designed to bring down PBS “Sabah for Sabahan” opposition government in 1990.
Last week, former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamed admitted that citizenship was given out to illegals in Sabah, insisting that there was no wrongdoing. Sabah Department of Statistics director Norezan Wahid testified during the hearing that 28 percent, or 889,000 out of 3.2 million Sabahans are foreigners, as recorded in a 2010 census.
Wong said that the truth emerging from the RCI hearing is greatly credited to DAP’s persistent years of efforts from as early as the 1980s.
Records and news reports show that DAP Parliamentary Leader Lim Kit Siang has raised the illegal immigrant problem in Parliament since the 1980s. Lim had warned that the issue would worsen if it was not resolved and investigated speedily.
Three decades on, local-born Sabahans have been reduced to a “minority”, strangers in their own land. Sabahans have witnessed an appalling 390 per cent increase in their state’s population, with a 2010 census showed that the 1970 population of just 636,431 people has skyrocketed to 3,120,040 people in 2010, a significant climb bypassing even the national population growth, currently standing at just 164 per cent.
Wong pointed out that Lim was the first to push for the setting up of an RCI to investigate the Sabah illegals issue. “No Sabahan leaders had ever dare propose this. In fact, Sabahan BN Members of Parliament voted against the motion table by Lim in 2008, including SAPP MPs,” Wong said.
After intense pressure from Pakatan Rakyat, the government finally gave in and proceeded with the long overdue RCI to look into the issue.
Pakatan Rakyat resolves Sabahans problems
Wong gave another example of Pakatan addressing Sabahan’s problems, in the fight for the Kampung Tambatuon Dam. Kota Belud residents have lived in fear of losing their lands when Sabah Chief Minister Musa Aman was adamant to carry out the dam project.
When DAP and Pakatan leaders stepped in to fight for the people of Kota Belud, the response from BN was quick. Lim Kit Siang himself visited the dam to hold dialogue sessions with the locals and raise national awareness about this environmental issue in Parliament. Within a year, the BN government announced that it would halt the project.
“These are just few of the many examples that clearly show how effective DAP and Pakatan Rakyat as a national platform can help to resolve Sabahans problems,” Wong said.
Wong stressed that Pakatan is in a much better position to resolve Sabahan’s long overdue perennial problems. He said Pakatan Rakyat Sabah possesses greater strength to rule Sabah with good governance, integrity and democracy. -The Rocket
