Upko flaunts Dompok’s aide for Sepanggar

Joseph Bingkasan of Free Malaysia Today

| November 21, 2012

Umno, PBS, LDP and PBRS have staked a claim on the Sepanggar parliamentary seat but Upko says it is theirs.

 

KOTA KINABALU: The United Pasok Momogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation (Upko) is cranking up the pressure on the state Barisan Nasional leadership to contest the Sepanggar MP seat for the coalition in the coming general election.

In a less than subtle theatrics, Sepanggar Upko chief Steven Kutai offered the constituency to party president Bernard Dompok in place of their rising star Albert Bingkasan who is said to be eyeing the seat.

Dompok, who is Federal Plantation Industry and Commodities Minister, as expected, declined, saying that it was best to field a candidate from the Sepanggar Upko division and he would be defending his Penampang seat.

The byplay gave the party general convention that was held on Sunday the opportunity to unanimously adopt a motion to be presented to the state BN leadership for its leader to contest the Sepanggar seat.

Kutai, who spoke at the one-day convention, told the over 1,000 delegates that Sepanggar had been a BN stronghold with Upko having the largest number of members in the constituency, which encompasses the state seats of Inanam and Karambunai, compared to other BN components.

The two state seats make up the Sepanggar parliamentary seat. Inanam has 12 polling districts and Karambunai 11. The total number of voters, according to the latest electoral rolls, is 47,836.

Half of the polling districts are considered KDM (KadazanDusun Murut) areas.

The seat was won by BN through Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) in the 2004 and 2008 general elections but the Kadazandusun majority constituency is now in opposition hands after SAPP pulled out from BN on Sept 17, 2008.

Incumbent MP Eric Majimbun is deputy president of the party. He polled 16,884 votes against PKR’s Mohd Ibrahim Abdullah 5,423 while Edward Ewol Mujie of DAP obtained 3,709 votes.

Though Kutai, as party chief in Sepanggar, should be the candidate by convention, he has said he would not be standing in the coming election and is proposing his deputy Bingkasan as the nominee for the post.

Everyone wants Sepanggar

Bingkasan, 48, who initially studied for the priesthood and worked for a few years in the media industry, is one of Dompok’s senior aides in Parliament and in the ministry. He is married to Nelly Henry James and they have four children.

Addressing the delegates at its closing, the would-be freshman MP said the resolution adopted for Upko to contest Sepanggar was in line with the resolution by Upko 13th triennial delegates conference last year.

Dompok brushed aside murmurs that the party was not following BN protocol by overtly grasping for seats.

“It is not wrong to request because we are in a democracy. Requests are the norm when it is election time and there are times when even seats which are held by a component party will also be requested by another party.

“For instance, Upko seats that we have in our pocket are being requested for. But it is up to the BN central leadership to decide which party should get the seats, not only in Sepanggar but also in the other constituencies,” he said.

The other BN component parties to have laid claim to the constituency are Umno, PBS, LDP and PBRS.

MP accuses NRD of double standard

By Joseph Bingkasan HERE

| October 10, 2012

          

A 'lopsided' procedure has allowed for hundreds of foreign-borns to be issued birth certs.

 

KOTA KINABALU: An opposition MP has accused the federal government of applying a different set of procedures when dealing with Sabah-born Malaysians and foreign-borns registering for birth certificates in the state.

 

Sepanggar MP, Eric Majimbun said the procedures adopted by Kuala Lumpur marginalised and discriminated against the people of Sabah, particularly those in the rural areas where many children do not have birth certificates.

 

He said when these applicants, with the assistance of local community leaders, finally get their documents, the National Registration Department (NRD) will stamp, in red ink, the words “Late Registration”.

 

“Late Registration” refers to births not registered within the 14 days stipulated under CAP 123 of the Sabah Registration of Births and Deaths Ordinance.

 

And herein begins their difficulties.

 

When it is time for the holders of such documents to apply for identity cards (MyKad), they have to begin with first getting their certificates endorsed by a First Class Magistrate.

 

It’s a procedure under the Sabah Births and Deaths Ordinance Cap. 123. 1953 which states that all “late registrants” must to go through the procedure in court presided by at least a First Class Magistrate.

 

The same court requirements do not seem to apply to foreigners.

 

Majimbun, the Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) deputy president, said his recent query on the matter in parliament was not satisfactorily answered by the Home minister.

 

The former chief judge of the Kota Kinabalu Native Court, who had handled many late registration cases, disclosed to FMT here on Tuesday that the written answer given to him was alarming and giving foreigners a `fast track’ scheme to obtain identity cards.

 

‘Lopsided’ procedure

 

According to the minister’s reply, the NRD adopts the position that for the children of foreigners, the information in their parent’s passports is sufficient to determine their status without court verification process that is applied for children of Sabahans, Majimbun said.

 

The opposition MP called the procedure “lopsided” and accused NRD of practicing “double standard”. The procedure was made arbitrarily in order to smooth the way for children of foreigners to easily gain citizenship.

 

“I wonder how many of these late registration certificates holders are foreigners in Sabah because only in Sabah has such (a) law that requires court endorsement of late birth certificates,” he said.

 

Thousands of others circumvent the procedure altogether by registering through the NRD in Putrajaya, he added.

 

Majimbun wants the Barisan Nasional state government to issue a directive to the department that late registrants must go through the proper procedure in accordance to the state law.

 

He said the state government has the power to do this but has allowed the loophole for unknown reasons.

 

“We must have some identity documents to differentiate between local Sabahan Malaysians and the so-called Malaysians in Sabah,” Majimbun added.

Stop Ignoring native's right - Majimbun

 

Progressive Party (SAPP) Deputy President Datuk Eric Majimbun said the statement by the Director of Land and Survey that there were no more NCR lands after 1930 is tantamount to ignore the rights of our Sabah natives, 'son of the soil rights' and an attempt to deprive the natives of their rights.

"Does he also meant that cases in which the Court of Law has ruled in favour of NCR claims by natives on their land are null and void?" Majimbun questioned.

Eric Majimbun, who is also Member of Parliament for Sepanggar said such statement should come from the BN state government instead of the director of Land and Survey who is only a civil servant.

"The whole purpose why the British Company enforced laws on Native Customary Rights (NCR) is to protect and help our natives who are underprivileged in various aspects.

"It is sad to see that land grabs are happening almost everyday in the state while claims on NCR and years of application by natives were ignored but instead granted to big companies in the name of development by the government.

"Cases such as these have happened in Serudung, Merotai in Tawau, Sukau in Sandakan, Kg Mapat Kanibongan in Pitas, Tandek and Nabawan, the government is suppressing and ignoring our natives' rights," Majimbun said in Kota Kinabalu on Monday (Oct 1, 2012).

Majimbun: I am ready to vacate my MP seat...

This story and more in http://freemalaysiatoday.com/

KOTA KINABALU: A Sabah opposition member of Parliament is ready to quit his seat provided the Barisan Nasional government amends the federal and state constitutions to allow elected representatives who resign to re-contest or defend their seat in by-election or elections.

The Sepanggar MP was responding to a challenge by a state BN official to vacate his seat and defend it in a by-election.

Eric Majimbun said it would be even better if Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak called for the dissolution of Parliament to pave way for a general elections.

"Sabah Chief Minister Musa Aman can also obtain the consent of the Yang Dipertua Negeri to dissolve the State Legislative Assembly to also pave the way for a State election," the Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) deputy president told FMT.

He said the constitutions at the moment made it difficult for him to re-contest the seat as it disqualifies MPs or assemblymen for five years if they resign their seats.

Article 17(5) of the Sabah constitution provides that an elected member who resigns his membership of the legislative assembly shall be disqualified from contesting for five years from the date of resignation.

Sepanggar BN coordinating chief Jumat Idris over the weekend challenged the MP from the opposition party to vacate his parliamentary seat and defend it in a by-election.

Speaking at a Juara Rakyat gathering here Sunday, Jumat challenged Majimbun to quit yesterday and have a `replay of the March 8, 2008 election in Sepanggar.

Dissolve Parliament

The BN chief claimed that Sepanggar is the national coalition's stronghold.
"SAPP should stop dreaming of winning the seat again. They won before as their party was then still with BN. It will not be easy for SAPP through Datuk Eric Majimbun to win Sepanggar again," Jumat said.

Majimbun thanked Jumat for his timely proposal that elected representatives go back to the people for a fresh mandate.

"As the coordination chief for Sepanggar BN, it is for Jumat Idris to make his dream come true to be a Yang Berhormat. He should also call on BN leaders to amend the State and Federal Constitutions so as not to restrict any MPs from re-contesting in by-elections," Majimbun added.

He said Jumat should also call on Raymond Tan Shu Kiah (Tanjong Papat) and Au Kam Wah (Elopura) to resign from their respective state seats.The two assemblymen won their respective seats on SAPP-BN ticket in the 12th general election.

"Better still, If my good friend (Jumat) is a true statesman, he can always instruct his fellow BN leaders or himself to call on Prime Minister Najib to dissolve Parliament.

"Let there be a general elections for BN to go back to the people for a fresh mandate. Be my guest, Jumat can contest Sepanggar," he added.

Majimbun also said that BN leaders had, for too long, been trying to hoodwink the people with sweet talk and empty promises.

"BN should solve the major problems in Sabah … the explosive increase in population (due to the influx of illegal immigrants) and uplift the living standards of the people.
"Return the rights and power to the people of Sabah as promised by leaders during the formation of Malaysia. Sabahans are now only used as a tool by the federal government as fixed deposit in order to re-colonise Sabah." he said.

SAPP: BN Government lacks political will

Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) Deputy President Datuk Eric Majimbun is amazed by sudden interest and strong reaction of certain people when it comes to determining an individual's bumi status and pressing for a police probe.
"Political leaders in the present government seem trying to divert our attention to more serious and severe problems such as the illegal immigrants numbering hundreds of thousands whom the federal government granted citizenship with Mykad, better treatment, getting government facilities free of charge, living on state government land and untouched.
"Worst of all, our rural as well as urban Sabahans have to compete with these foreigners, so-called 'Malaysians', who are now sitting comfortably inside the state administration, some as teachers and some perhaps are engaged in the government enforcement departments.
"The incredible increase in Sabah's population of 10 percent yearly is a heavy burden to shoulder compared to the national population growth of only 3 percent and this is something we need to think about.
"It also seems that some political leaders are questioning the state law especially CAP 64, of Interpretation (Definition of Native) Ordinance. Yet the state government has no political will to amend the mentioned ordinance, the issuance of native certificates since frozen in early 1984 has deprived the right of our genuine sons of soil as anak negeri of our young generation.
"This is a blow to the state government," said Majimbun. "The integrity of the Native Court should be protected. It seems that some politicians are questioning the law."The Native Court system has in recent years also been increasingly denied jurisdiction over matters that fall within the purview of the Syariah and Civil Courts. The issue seems to be the district and native chiefs not possessing even some basic legal background.The administration of the Native Court system existed long before the advent of British North Borneo Chartered Company and colonial rule. It was recognized by the British Government. No advocate was allowed to represent the respondents before the Native Court Enactment 1992. Since the 1992 Enactment, lawyers are allowed to represent their clients in the Native Court of Appeal

Good Luck says Majimbun

The opposition Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) Deputy President Datuk Eric Majimbun wished former members Datuk Raymond Tan and Au Kam Wah success in their new party, Gerakan.
"I congratulate and wish them success...their political struggles are different from SAPP which is more on the interests of Sabah and its people, and without any self-interest," Majimbun, said. On another development, Eric who is Sepanggar Member of Parliament, urged the Federal Government to be flexible with regard to the requirements of any vacancy available in the public sector in Sabah.
He said this is because he had received a complaint from a successful applicant here who has been asked to report for duty as a government general administration clerk (Grade N27) at Putrajaya in Kuala Lumpur, although the vacancy is supposedly in Sabah.
It was advertised online through the Public Services Department (PSD) website which showed there were 400 vacancies available under this particular grade in Sabah, he said, adding that the successful applicants were however required to fly over and report for duty at Putrajaya.
"I just cannot understand it. Why when the vacancies are available in Sabah they are asked to go and report for duty in Putrajaya ... this is like an attempt to discourage our people in Sabah to work in the public sector, even in their own State," he said.

Majimbun: No Need For A Senior Minister

Sepanggar MP Datuk Eric Majimbun (Pic) said hundreds of thousands of people in Sabah would stand to benefit if the government spends on bringing more development in the State instead of on having a Senior Minister.
He said this probably one the reasons why former Prime Minister Tun Mahathir Mohamad refused it when he was offered such a role during the leadership transition from him to present Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in 2003.
Responding to the call by Datuk Mohamad Aziz (BN-Sri Gading) for Abdullah to be given a role as Senoir Minister after he steps down as Prime Minister next month, Majimbun said to do so would entail more taxpayers' money which can be better used to provide more development for the people.

Majimbun is also the Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) Deputy President.

Majimbun wants ACA to investigate

Datuk Eric Majimbun, the member of Parliament for Sepanggar, wants the Anti-Corruption Agency to investigate how, why and when the 54 functions were held in his constituency in which almost RM1 million was spent to pay for festive celebrations last year.

The Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) deputy president, who is now in Kuala Lumpur attending the current Parliament meeting, said he was in the dark where the RM1 million fund came from.

"I have contacted Sabah ACA yesterday to request for investigation," he said.

Majimbun was commenting on Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Johari Baharum who told Parliament that he (Majimbun) was one of the top 10 MPs who had spend almost RM1 million to pay for festive celebrations like Hari Raya Aidilfitri and Aidiladha, Ramadan, Chinese New Year, Deepavali, Hari Gawai, Kaamatan Festival, Christmas, Wesak Day and National Day, among others.

Johari said Majimbun was one of the five Barisan Nasional MPs from Sabah in the top 10 spender and was one of the 196 MPs who had used the special allocations for MPs to pay for festive celebrations in their respective constituencies.

The other Sabah's MPs are Raimie Unggi (Tenom-RM988,475), Datuk Dr Marcus Mojigoh (Putatan-RM971,000), Salleh Kalbi (Silam-RM946,420) and Datuk Dr Chua Soon Bui (Tawau-RM948,575).

The other MPs in the top 10 list were from Kuala Terengganu (RM917,588), Kuala Nerus (RM946,115.30), Marang (RM914,250), Dungun (RM977,000) and Parit (916,407.50).

Majimbun and Chua are no longer BN MPs as SAPP had pulled out of the national coalition government on Sept 17, this year.

My Say:

If indeed almost RM1 million was spent by Majimbun last year, there would had been grand celebrations in each of the villages in Sepanggar constituencies, which include Kampung Kionsom, Inanam, where I am staying.

But there was no celebration in my village last year. If what the Deputy Minister told Parliament was true, Majimbun has a lot to explain to the Sepanggar constituents.

Review Patroleum Act says Majimbun

KUALA LUMPUR: Sepanggar MP Datuk Eric Enchin Majimbun has requested the Federal Government to revise the Petroleum Act 1976 to re-determine the oil royalties paid to Sabah for the state’s development. He said the act should be revised every 10 years by taking into account, the gas pipe routes and fuel volume channeled to Bintulu, Sarawak, through Sabah in the interest of the public.

“Petronas and the Federal Government must see all this, instead of just saying they will pay the five per cent royalty,” he told reporters at the Parliament lobby here today.

Meanwhile, Tawau MP Datuk Chua Soon Bui said she supported the motion by Eric to cancel the 500km gas pipes from Kimanis, Sabah to Bintulu, Sarawak, costing RM3 billion.

She said the RM3 billion could be used to build more low-cost housing for the very poor families and for the improvement of basic infrastructures in Sabah.

Migrants shot up Sabah's population

Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) deputy president Datuk Eric Majimbun said the Federal Government had confirmed that the entry of Philippine and Indonesian migrants into Sabah was a main contributor to the 278 per cent rise in the State's population between 1970 and 2000.

Majimbun, who is Sepanggar member of Parliament, said this information was in a form of written reply by Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz to his question during his debate on the National Budget in Parliament Wednesday.

In his debate, he said the increase in Sabah's population by 285 per cent, based on the Population and Housing Census for 1970 and 200, was higher than the 113 per cent increase at national level in the same period.

Nazri said the steep rise in Sabah's population between 1970 and 2000 was also contributed by the high percentage in natural population increase in the State by 137 per cent. The country's natural population increase was only 59 per cent for the same period.

Nazri said migration into Sabah also contributed to the State's population increase, with 8 per cent recorded in 1970 compared to 7.3 per cent at national level. In 2005, it rose to 16.3 per cent compared to the national leverl of 7 per cent.

He also said that the increase in population by ethnic composition was also high, with the Bumiputera and non-Bumiputera population recording an increase by 253 and 333 per cent, respectively.

SABAH MYKAD SCANDAL

Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) Deputy President and MP for Sepanggar Datuk Eric Majimbun's Press conference Saturday as reported HERE

KOTA KINABALU: The surname and address on his MyKad are the same as the ones belonging to Sepanggar member of parliament Datuk Eric Majimbun, but they are not related.

Neither do they know each other.
The MyKad carries the name Jerome Majimbon and the address is Kampung Pomotodon, Jalan Kionsom, Inanam.

In Sabah, people are regarded as having the same surname despite a slight variation in spelling.

Majimbun said: “I was surprised because we don’t have a relative with such a name and the people in Kampung Pomotodon are unaware of the existence of such a person in the village.”

He found out that the man in question was a Filipino illegal immigrant whose real name is Jerom Maguil.

Majimbun wants answers from the Home Ministry and the National Registration Department (NRD) on how the man had obtained the MyKad bearing the number 560930-12-5739.

“I have written to the secretary-general of the Home Ministry but I have yet to receive a reply,” he said today.

Majimbun: I have the proof

Sabah Propgressive Party (SAPP) deputy president and Member of Parliament for Sepanggar Datuk Eric Majimbun (pix) says he has the proof to show that foreigners/illegal immigrants who came to Sabah through the `backdoor' had been issued with MyKad making them citizen of this country.

"I have the evidence of illegal issuance of MyKads to foreigners in Sabah," he said Thursday.

Asked for the proof, the former Kota Kinabalu City Native Court's chief judge said he would only reveal everything during a Press conference in Kota Kinabalu on Saturday.

"My figures will also include those people who were not born in Sabah but have become citizens of this country," he said.

Majimbun said he had to make the revelation as it is connected to the explosion of the Sabah's population which had increased by 285 per cent between 1970 and 2000.

SAPP: Sayonara Barisan Nasional

Yong and SAPP supreme council members at the Prress conference this afternoon

SAPP Supreme Council declares that SAPP is no longer a member of the Barisan Nasional
Press statement by SAPP President Datuk Yong Teck Lee after the SAPP Supreme Council Meeting at Party HQ, Kota Kinabalu on September 17, 2008 (4:30 pm)

The BN has lost its "BN spirit". It was not that the people who did not want the BN, it was the BN who abandoned the people. In spite of repeated appeals from some BN members to other BN leaders to be more sensitive to the peoples' feelings, these leaders continue to treat the people with contempt. Perhaps, after 50 years of uninterrupted government, some BN leaders have got it in their heads that they have a divine right to rule.

On March 8, the people had spoken out loud and clear. The BN paid a heavy price. But yet the BN refuses to learn. The ruthless increase in fuel prices on June 4 and the failure to tackle inflation and economic slowdown have dealt a severe blow to ordinary people. The recent blatant abuse of the ISA against an innocent journalist, an MP and a blogger only confirms that the BN leadership has not learned from their mistakes. The shameful Taiwan trip by 49 BN MPs and the instigation of racial animosities have aggravated the collapse of confidence among the people and leaders, not only on the PM but the BN as well. The PM's budget 2009 was totally uninspiring and has already been discredited even before it was debated in Parliament. The BN has lost its moral authority to rule. Numerical majority in Parliament means little if the people no longer respect you.

Minister Datuk Zaid Ibrahim's resignation only confirms what many lawyers already knew that is that the Prime Minister and his government has never had the intention to reform the judiciary. Datuk Zaid's exposure about "the BN government being paralysed by internal strife and divisions" has also been known to many people in the BN. In many other countries, such paralysis of government will lead to fresh general elections.

The PM himself appeared drifting, not knowing what has been happening around him. SAPP has nothing personal against the PM and family. None of the matters raised by SAPP concerns his person, his family, son, daughter, son-in-law or businesses. SAPP is only concerned about the issues affecting the country such as the need for good governance, the dangers of racial polarization and injustice of economic imbalances to be tackled effectively.

SAPP hereby proudly dissociates ourselves from these shameful wrong doings of the BN government. SAPP further believes that the BN is not capable of practicing good governance and non-racial politics; that BN has no intention in granting autonomy to Sabah, returning 20% of oil royalties and Labuan to Sabah, implement Borneonisation, review unfair federal laws and departments in Sabah, solve the illegal immigrants problems and remove social and economic imbalances. The BN leadership even refused to recognize historical facts by denying September 16 as Malaysia Day, 45 years.

SAPP had only wanted to see that the legitimate rights of Sabah and the unfairness suffered by Malaysians in Sabah be given due attention with results. The BN must realize that, if not for Sabah and Sarawak, BN would be in the opposition today. But instead of sincerely working to solve the issues raised by SAPP, the BN has chosen to embark on a course of action to destroy SAPP. The SAPP Supreme Council hereby condemns the attempts of BN operatives to destroy SAPP through divide and rule tactics and by abusing the economic resources of the BN State and Federal Governments aimed at instigating SAPP members and leaders to destroy SAPP.

As a matter of fact, by deliberately excluding SAPP from four consecutive meetings of the Dewan Tertinggi and two meetings of the Management Committee ever since the announcement of no confidence on the Prime Minister on June 18, the BN has effectively terminated the membership of SAPP. The SAPP Supreme Council hereby declares that SAPP is no longer a member of the Barisan Nasional coalition of parties.

SAPP is now free from the BN. SAPP shall henceforth use this freedom to pursue our autonomous political path to fulfill our mission to establish a trustworthy government and a progressive, just and harmonious society. We are no longer subservient to BN. We now have the master key to our own house. We shall build a brighter future for our people and the younger generations to come.

SAPP members who hold political appointments in the executive branch of Government shall relinquish their posts by giving the due notice under the constitution and relevant rules and regulations, starting at the Cabinet level.

With our experienced MPs, ADUNs and other party colleagues, SAPP shall provide quality opposition in and outside the Parliament and State Legislative Assembly until the time comes when SAPP is ready to be back in government.

I call on our members to be brave. Do not despair. Remember that one of our party culture seven values is Resilience. From the day we join the party, we knew that things can get very rough for us. Yes, together we shall overcome this difficult period because the people are with us. With the strong encouragement and support of the people, SAPP will succeed in our struggle.

In view of the current fasting month of Ramadhan, SAPP shall only embark on a series of political activities two weeks after Hari Raya. We shall plan a road map to victory in future elections. We shall elaborate how we plan to achieve the eight-points declaration, namely:

(i) Good governance and non-racial politics,
(ii) Autonomy for Sabah,
(iii) 20% oil royalties,
(iv) Return of Labuan,
(v) Review of unfair laws and detrimental departments,
(vi) Borneonisation of the federal civil service,
(vii) Solution to the illegal immigrants issue, and
(viii) Redress economic and social imbalances.

Issued by SAPP HQ.

RM50K: Sabah PKR reports to ACA

KOTA KINABALU, THURS (Bernama) - The Sabah Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) lodged a report with the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) today over the allegation that each of the Barisan Nasional (BN) Members of Parliament who joined the study trip to Taiwan had received RM50,000.

Party Youth chief Abdul Razak Jamil filed the report at the state ACA office at 3.05pm.

“Although BNBBC (Barisan Nasional Backbenchers Club) deputy chairman Datuk Bung Mokhtar Radin has denied the allegation, we don’t know the truth, so the ACA should investigate,” he told reporters after lodging the report.

He made the report based on Sarawak People’s Party (SAPP) president Datuk Yong Teck Lee’s statement in the local press on Tuesday that the MPs who joined the trip were given RM50,000 each. The two SAPP MPs, Datuk Eric Majimbun and Datuk Dr Chua Soon Bui, did not go on the trip.

The group left for Taiwan on Monday to study agricultural projects there and are scheduled to return home next Wednesday.

SAPP MPs No to RM50,000

Majimbun (centre) presenting gifts to a Muslim resident in Kampung Wariaan, Inanam. Also in the picture is Likas Assemblyman Datuk Liew Teck Chan (left).


Barisan Nasional Members of Parliament were offered RM50,000 `pocket money' to go on overseas trip but two MPs from Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) Datuk Eric Majimbun and Datuk Dr Chua Soon Bui declined to accept and did not join the trip.

SAPP President Datuk Yong Teck Lee said his two MPs prefer to continue working for the benefit of the people than leaving Sabah on an organised vocation organised by the BN leadership.

"They are more happy to get together with the rakyat, including to join them during this Holy Month of Ramadan, " the former Chief Minister said in a leaders-and-people gathering in Kampung Warisan, Inanam near Kota Kinabalu.

Yong was referring to the 49 BN MPs, 10 of them from Sabah, who left for Taiwan on Monday on a study tour of the agriculture technology in the island nation.

Meanwhile, Datuk Bung Mokthar Radin, BN MP for Kinabatangan, who is one of the organiser of the overseas trip had been quoted by local newspapers that MPs who joined the study tour look after their own expenses while abroad.

Majimbun: Count me out

Sepanggar Member of Parliament Datuk Eric Majimbun is not joining the other Barisan Nasional MPs for their `study tour' overseas.

The Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) deputy president said he had to be with the people in his constituency, particularly the Muslim constituents during this Holy Month of Ramadan.

"It had been a tradition for SAPP leaders to visit Muslims in their respective ares during the fasting month," the former Kota Kinabalu City Native Court judge said Sunday.

The MPs overseas's trip is seen by the oppostion party as a mean to keep the elected representatives from being `courted' by Permatang Pauh's MP Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to join him to enable him to topple Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi BN's Government and become Prime Minister on Sep 16, 2008.

The BN MPs are expected to come back home on Sept 19.

Majimbun on Sept 16 issue

As published HERE today.

My Say:

For the record Datuk Seri Joseph Pairin Kitingan then Chief Minister had during the 25th Anniversary Celebration of Malaysia Day in Kota Kinabalu on Sept 16, 1988 requested the Federal Government that starting the following year (1989) Sept 16, be declared a national public holiday to mark Malaysia Day.

Pairin had said that Sept 16, 1963 was a special date for all Malaysians as it was the day when the Federation of Malaysia was inaugurated.

Majimbun's Press statement

Press Statement by YB Datuk Eric Majimbun
MP for Sepanggar/ Deputy President of Sabah Progressive Party
26 August 2008


CONVENTION ON SABAH ISSUES


1. About 1,200 people are expected to attend the Convention on Sabah Issues to be held at the Putera Theatre Ballroom in Kota Kinabalu on August 30, from 12.30 pm to 4.30 pm.

2. Organizing Chairman, Datuk Eric Majimbun, said the current political development in the country had prompted SAPP to organize this convention.

3. This convention is a follow up to a Special Committee chaired by Majimbun which was set for the purpose of collecting, compiling and analyzing issues submitted by the people.

4. The convention will provide an opportunity for views and recommendations to be expressed by the people. The views will be compiled into a document for endorsement by other political parties, organizations and individuals paving the way for it to be adopted as a roadmap for Sabah towards establishing a trustworthy government and a progressive, just and harmonious society.

5. We feel it is important during this critical period for the people to re-connect with the history of Sabah¡¯s independence, the position of Sabah as a state within the Federation of Malaysia as well as the current economic condition of the State.

Among the speakers will be former Chief Minister Datuk Harris Salleh.

Below is the full text of the statement.

Count me out says Majimbun

Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) deputy president Datuk Eric Majimbun, who still maintained his support to any motion of no confidence against Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, denied he was one of 13 Barisan Nasional(BN) Sabah MPs planning to cross over to Pakatan Rakyat after the Permatang Pauh by-election next Tuesday.

"This is a cheap publicity stunt by the opposition to attract people's attention at the expense of others," said the BN-SAPP MP for Sepanggar.

Parti Keadilan Rakyat vice-president Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan has said that 13 BN MPs, including two from SAPP, will switch camps if PKR adviser Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim wins the seat.

"That is typical of them. He did not even name me when he said 13 BN MPs, including two from SAPP. There are only two SAPP MPs, Datuk Chua Soon Bui and I. So in his statement he must have meant me, but why didn't he say so?"

Majimbun, who was in Permatang Pauh with Chua, MP for Tawau, to observe the election campaign, challenged Jeffrey to name all the other MPs ready to jump ship.

"Going by his statement, the 11 others are from Umno, so why not name them now."

Jeffrey claimed that the 13 MPs had met with him and expressed their support for Anwar. Sabah has 24 BN MPs.

Majimbun, who was Kota Kinabalu Native Court chief judge before entering politics, said he had not been in contact with Jeffery for him to make such a preposterous statement.

Yong: They try to isolate me

Press release By SAPP President Datuk Seri Panglima Yong Teck Lee
9 July 2008
Kota Kinabalu


The meeting and photo session Monday, July 7 between Tawau MP Datuk Dr. Chua Soon Bui and Minister in charge of Parliament, Dato Nazri, was unfortunate and has cast SAPP in a very bad light as though SAPP has back tracked from the no-confidence motion against the PM.

Although Datuk Dr. Chua never mentioned the words to the effect that the proposed motion of no confidence had been "dropped" or "aborted", her comments were misinterpreted.

This latest twist makes me sad that our noble struggle has been damaged in the eyes of the people whose hopes for a better future rest with SAPP.

To put things in the right perspective and to reaffirm SAPP¡¯s struggle for the people and Sabah, I would like to reveal that I had earlier told our Party Vice-President cum Tawau MP, Datuk Dr. Chua Soon Bui, to be extremely careful when dealing with some KL leaders; it is like swimming with the sharks. I had alerted her that we had discovered the tactic of the BN leaders to use her and Deputy President/Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Raymond Tan to "split SAPP and isolate Yong Teck Lee".

At first, there were doubts as to why the BN generously gave a long period of 30-day to SAPP to reply the show cause letter. Later, it dawned on us in SAPP that the lengthy 30-days period was actually intended to give time to BN efforts "to split SAPP and isolate Yong Teck Lee". This is why the move by PBS and LDP for an immediate expulsion of SAPP from BN was not carried. BN tacticians wanted SAPP to be split and had lost the support of the people before action is taken against SAPP. BN did not want to repeat their mistake of 1984 when they expelled USNO which had opposed the federalization of Labuan. In State elections the following year (1985), the BN was almost completely wiped out by PBS and USNO.

As Tan Sri Bernard Dompok observed last month, Sabahans are a laid back people and unsuspecting. But in the rough world of federal politics, many earlier Sabahan leaders have been "eaten alive" and came home defeated and disgraced. From the books "Politics of Federalism" (on Syed Kechik in East Malaysia, 1976) to the banned book "Golden Son of the Kadazan" (on the late Datuk Peter Mojuntin, 1976) and "Harris of Sabah" (1986), The Making of a Malaysian (on Datuk J. Pairin Kitingan, 1991) and countless recollections, we Malaysians in Sabah have endured a collective history of betrayals, disappointments and failures.

I am sure this latest episode will make our Datuk Dr. Chua Soon Bui a stronger leader who can tell the hard truths to federal leaders, however friendly they might seem on a personal basis. As for leaders like Datuk Raymond Tan, however good his intentions maybe, leaders can be easily awed by the immensity of federal political power. The fear of the stick and the lure of carrots are enough to overwhelm many people.

Issued by SAPP HQ

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