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SAPP: Sabah awaits new PM Dato Seri Najib to fulfill promises

Kota Kinabalu: Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) expected to hear the chorus of support from BN leaders hailing the appointment of the new PM Dato Seri Najib Tun Razak.

"These are the same BN leaders who had obligingly pledged unconditional support to Datuk Seri Abdulah Ahmad Badawi as PM in June last year when SAPP announced our loss of confidence in him as the PM. SAPP's only hope for our Sabahan leaders in the BN government is that they will use this new era of the Najib premiership for Sabah's legitimate interests," said Yong.

"I have been asked what I thought of the premiership of Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi now that the SAPP declaration of no confidence in him as PM has seen its final outcome. The thing I most remember about the out-going PM is his promise of 1 billion ringgit special grant in May last year which was seen as a feeble attempt to buy his way to remain in power. The fact that the 1 billion ringgit is no where to be seen even today is a classic case of the Pak Lah style of government that has done so much damage to the country such as the flip flop decision last June to astronomically increase fuel prices that sent many families into hardship.

"His repeated broken promises to solve the illegal immigrants issue and to cancel the gas pipeline from Kimanis to Bintulu in Sarawak are costly legacies that Malaysians in Sabah will have to bear for a long time to come.

"Whereas Malaysians will likely remember his administration for failing to make any decision on the use of English to teach mathematics and science which has affected the future of thousands of young people, the complete lack of commitment to solve the Queen Elizabeth Hospital debacle is killing people slowly in the present day. Word is already coming out from people in the medical profession that QEH patients are dying unnecessarily. This is negligence on the part of decision makers and an indictment of the BN government under his leadership.

"Now that the country has a new Prime Minster, a prompt and wise decision on the building of a new general hospital in Kota Kinabalu city and a district hospital in Nabawan promised by the new PM Najib is a legitimate expectation of the people.

"SAPP will also continue to press for the fulfillment of the legitimate interests of Malaysians in Sabah under the party's "8 Points Declaration". For instance, SAPP will continue to press for Sabah autonomy and non-racial politics. Socio-economic imbalances such as high costs of living, highest poverty rate, low quality education and health care and social problems caused by illegal immigrants must remain high in the national agenda. Discriminatory policies as recent as the unfair subsidy on Super Tempatan 15% rice, the non-availability of the auto-scrapping scheme and the expiry of the fuel rebate must be removed. Unfair polices such as the Cabotage policy and FELDA profit-oriented policy must be reviewed without delay.

"The new administration headed by Dato Seri Najib should also expedite the Borneonisation of the federal civil service in the Borneo states as intended in 1963 upon the formation of Malaysia.

"SAPP shall keep alive the agenda on the return of Labuan to Sabah and an equitable sharing of 20% petroleum and gas resources by oil producing states namely Sabah, Sarawak and Terengganu," added Yong.

SAPP
05/04/09

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