14% Sabahans satisfied with 10% Budget?

These BN supporters are happy that Sabah, with a population of 14% of Malaysia be given only 10% of the Malaysian budget. No wonder Sabah is the poorest in the world, not only in Malaysia. Especially when Sabah makes of 23% of the area of Malaysia.

With such stupid mentality, they are even certain that Anwar will giver much lower than 10%, overall budget, when oil revenue were RETURNED TO SABAH.

Anwar will certainly lose power immediately if he were that stupid. The worst that can happen is that SABAH will get the same stupidly low budget allocation, that most Sabahans are already satisfied with. The difference is that the State Government of Sabah is much richer this time. The money can also be spent in Sabah with 100% certainty, increasing Sabah's overall economic activities in Sabah.

With such blatantly stupid BN representatives, no wonder Sabah is the poorest in the world.

http://www.theborneopost.com/2012/02/14/sabah-will-be-worse-off-if-federal-governments-allocation-reduced-says-state-bn-secretary/

Sabah will be worse off if federal government’s allocation reduced, says State BN secretary

by Nancy Lai. Posted on February 14, 2012, Tuesday

KOTA KINABALU: Will the increase in Sabah’s oil royalty mean reduced federal allocation for development in the state?

And can the opposition, including Pakatan Rakyat leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, should they form the next government, guarantee that federal allocation to Sabah will not be reduced in lieu of the increased revenue derived from the new oil royalty?

These were the questions raised by Sabah Barisan Nasional secretary Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan who is worried that Sabah will be ‘worse off’ than before should the federal government’s allocation under the Malaysia Plans be reduced.

It is very likely that Sabah may be getting higher oil royalty but in the end will get lower overall funds from Federal Government under his (Anwar’s) prime ministership, Abdul Rahman opinied.

Speaking to reporters here yesterday, the Kota Belud member of parliament said Anwar had been quoted repeatedly saying that (if Pakatan Rakyat forms the government) he would increase Sabah’s oil royalty from five per cent to 20 per cent.

Other opposition leaders like Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan went even further by promising 50 per cent, Abdul Rahman said adding, “As an MP for Sabah, I do not have any reason to reject such wonderful proposal. More money for Sabah is obviously good for us.

“But I am also painfully aware that Anwar has not been fully forthcoming in his proposal. In Parliament I posed a question that if Anwar increased Sabah’s royalty to 20 per cent, could he guarantee that he would not reduce Sabah’s allocation in his federal budget or in the Eleventh Malaysia Plan?

“I reminded the opposition that Sabah had been consistently given biggest allocations by the federal government both in the Malaysia Plans and the federal government’s annual budget. For example Sabah received RM20.3 billion out of RM230 billion and in First Rolling Plan of the 10th Malaysia Plan, Sabah received RM10.7 billion out of RM98.5 billion.

“My concern is, while Datuk Seri Anwar may increase Sabah’s share of the royalty, he will have to reduce Sabah allocation in the 11th Malaysia Plan. We may end up worse off! That is why I asked for a guarantee. None of the opposition MPs at that time stood up to reply to argument,” he said.

According to Abdul Rahman, increases in royalty for Sabah, Sarawak, Terengganu and Kelantan would amount to more than RM10 billion a year.

Anwar knows very well that the RM10 billion given to the three oil producing states mean RM10 billion taken away from the budget of the other states in Peninsular Malaysia, he pointed out before saying, “I do not think Datuk Seri Anwar dare to say to the people from the non-oil producing states, ‘I am sorry, I have to cut your allocation because I need to give RM10 billion to Terengganu, Kelantan, Sarawak and Sabah!.

He (Anwar) cannot afford to say that because the people in these affected states will reject him and this is unacceptable to him since he needs their votes desperately to win Putrajaya, Abdul Rahman stressed.

“I want to know which state(s) is willing to have their budget reduced because the RM10 billion has to come from somewhere… money does not fall from the sky. Show us which sector he plans to reduce the budget to make up for the increase in oil royalty… which state will sacrifice its allocation?

“Anwar as a leader must answer this. How is he going to juggle the budget and he must inform the rakyat, Sabahans in particular on how this will be done because it is very likely that Sabah may be getting higher oil royalty but in the end will get lower overall funds from Federal Government under his prime ministership.

“For every ringgit given to Sabah, Sarawak, Terengganu and Kelantan, that one ringgit must come from somebody. This can only mean that some states must be willing to sacrifice their portion of the federal budget.

“Some projects in Peninsular Malaysia must be cancelled. Question is who and what needs to be sacrificed? Or will Datuk Seri Anwar spend less on security, health, education, infrastructure, public utilities, social etc given the fact he has to spend more on royalty?” he stressed.

Anwar must answer these tough questions so that people understand and are convinced, he said adding, “and mind you, Sabahans still remember how Anwar as Finance Minister and Deputy Prime Minister consistently refused PBS’ request for higher royalty.

According to Abdul Rahman, he will again raise these questions in the next parliamentary sitting which is scheduled to commence on March 12.

He also pointed out that Pakatan Rakyat said they would eradicate corruption and renegotiate lopsided deals which would give the federal government billions in extra funds for the increase in royalty.

As someone who sits in the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Committee (MACC) committee, Abdul Rahman said he hoped they would succeed.

“Any effort to abolish corruption must be supported and encouraged. I am sure Sabahans share the same view as mine. My concern is not about the effort to check corruption. It is more about Anwar’s rationale of including ‘savings from corruption eradication efforts and renegotiating lopsided deals’ as part of his government’s revenue.

“Can Anwar estimate how much yearly savings he gets from anti-corruption effort? Can he comfortably project such revenue with a high level of accuracy and use the figure to plan his budget?

“Can Anwar force those IPPs (independent power producers) and highway toll concessionaires to renegotiate the agreements immediately after he swears in as Prime Minister? Or will he face prolonged and protracted battle with the concessionaires?

“If yes, will his budget revenue projections fall short and hence disturb his spending plans?,” he said and pointed out that no government in this world is using projected savings from corruption as the basis of preparing its budget.

“That is utterly irresponsible. The budget will be in a mess. Any savings in anti-corruption drive is a bonus, not to be included in the budgeting. When Anwar says he will finance the royalty increase from corruption eradication savings, one has to be worried.

“My take is he will eventually have to cut allocations to the other states and those states deserve to know the facts. Anwar must give assurance and guarantee that he will not reduce federal allocation for Sabah if the oil royalty is increased.

Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com/2012/02/14/sabah-will-be-worse-off-if-federal-governments-allocation-reduced-says-state-bn-secretary/#ixzz1mNU9bZc5

Sabah's poverty rate 68%

http://www.theborneopost.com/2011/12/30/sabah-has-most-welfare-recipients-dept/

Sabah has most welfare recipients – dept

Posted on December 30, 2011, Friday

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah has recorded the biggest number of welfare assistance recipients in the country at 72,600, according to Jais Asri, the senior assistant director of Welfare Services Department.
He said it is not a good sign to have the highest number of welfare recipients as it shows that many people in the state are still living under the poverty line.
Jais said that in Sabah, those with an income of less than RM960 are categorised as poor and based on the record, 68 per cent of Sabahans are earning less than that amount.
He said the department is receiving about 500 welfare assistance cases daily or about 20 cases from each district in the state.
With only 88 case workers, the department is unable to study the huge number of cases speedily, thus it is currently assisted by 106 temporary workers, he said.
Asri said there are 278,000 senior citizens in Sabah and 47,000 of them are currently receiving the senior citizen assistance.
He said the senior citizens must report to the department every four months to ensure they continue to receive the assistance.
Meanwhile, deputy director of Welfare Services Department, Said Sidup, announced that the department will set up a ‘Desa Bina Diri’ under the Destitute Persons Act 1977 (Act 183) to shelter homeless people soon.
He said the local authorities will carry out operations to identify thee homeless people in the state.

Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com/2011/12/30/sabah-has-most-welfare-recipients-dept/#ixzz1hzBGMAbX

Razaleigh already inside plane and strapped but Harris invited him out!

Why didn't Harris invited Razaleigh much earlier, before Razaleigh was inside the plane that crashed and killed the Sabah's Chief Minister and his strongmen?

It smells fishy!



http://www.dailyexpress.com.my/news.cfm?NewsID=79836

Razaleigh's revelation merits probe, says former State Sec

Published on: Thursday, November 24, 2011

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Kota Kinabalu: The High Court here heard the revelation by Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah that the then Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Harris Mohd Salleh's last moment invitation to him to leave the plane saved his life, merits an investigation.

Tan Sri Simon Sipaun, 73, a former State Secretary, suggested this to the court when he testified before Judge Dato' Abdul Rahman Sebli.

Sipaun also said that based on the new fact he felt that a re-investigation would help determine the truth behind the tragedy that killed Tun Fuad Stephens and all those on board the Nomad aircraft on June 6, 1976.

He agreed with the defendants' counsel that the best way to find out the truth is to have a tribunal to investigate into the causes of the air crash if it is one of the possible means of knowing the truth.

Sipaun was testifying as the defendants' fourth witness during re-examination in the hearing of a suit against Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) and its President Datuk Yong Teck Lee which was brought by former Chief Minister Tan Sri Harris Salleh against the defendants for insinuating that he was involved in causing the Double Six tragedy on June 6, 1976.

Harris is claiming general damages, aggravated and exemplary damages of not less than RM50 million from Yong, who he named as first defendant and SAPP as second defendant, for libel.

He is represented by counsel Yunof Maringking and Trevor Kenneth Maringking, while Yong and SAPP are represented by counsel Datuk Simon Shim and Flora Dius.

Earlier, in his examination-in-chief, Sipaun told the court that on April 2, 2010 he had chaired a forum in which Razaleigh was the speaker on the topic of "Minyak Sabah Siapa Punya".

He said Razaleigh basically gave some background and information leading to the formation of Petronas and the Petroleum Development Act 1974 and that something in the course of the latter's speech caught his attention.

"It was his opening remarks where he told the audience that every time he comes to Sabah, he is reminded of the June 6, 1976 tragedy.

"However, what struck me most was when he said that he was already inside the plane together with the late Tun Fuad about to fly to Kota Kinabalu from Labuan when Harris came inside the plane and invited him to join him and go to Banggi, Kudat instead and to him that's how his life was saved because of the invitation.

"Personally, I found this revelation by Tengku most significant because this was the first time that I heard it happened that way," he said, adding the said revelation is a very important piece of information and that up to now he still does not know the real causes of the accident.

He also agreed with the first defendant's call for re-investigation into the air crash.

Sipaun, who was Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Communication and Works at the time of the air crash, said he had never seen any official report on the cause of the accident or the report of the coroner regarding the accident or any official information regarding the accident or the cause of accident.

Meanwhile, during cross-examination by the plaintiff's counsel, Sipaun said he could not recall whether there was an investigation or no investigation on the air crash.

To a question, Sipaun said the gist of the new development to the story was the fact that Razaleigh was already inside the plane, all strapped up ready to depart but invited at the last minute to go elsewhere.

Counsel: Do you agree that your support for the call for re-investigation on the incident because of Tengku Razaleigh's revelation that the plaintiff's last moment invitation to him to leave the plane saved his life?

Sipaun: I am supportive of the case being revisited on the ground that new information which has not been available before has become available.

Counsel: Can you be specific what you meant by new information, which has not been available before becoming available?

Sipaun: The fact that Razaleigh was already seated in the plane together with the late Tun Fuad Stephen and the rest, and was asked to get off the plane at the last minute. This is something I have never heard before.

The trial will continue on Dec 5, 6, 21 and 22.

Sabah State budget of 4Billion and yet only 4% 2010 GDP growth!

Malaysia was 10%, whereas Singapore 14%, which means,
West Malaysia is 12%, making Sabah GDP growth of only 1/3 of West Malaysia.

This is on the background of more than 2 Billion RM State budget, whereas Selangor's state budget had been less than 2 billion RM.

In 1994, Sabah's PBS budget was 2 billion RM a figure that UMNO's budget didn't achieve until a few years ago.

Check you facts and figures before you believe this lying reporter.

http://www.nst.com.my/opinion/columnist/rm4-billion-sabah-budget-surprise-1.14236

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03 December 2011 | Last updated at 12:41AM
RM4 billion Sabah budget surprise
By Joniston Bangkuai
jon@nst.com.my | 0 comments
State leadership proves it can deliver more development for the people

IT must have been music to the ears of Sabahans when Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman unveiled a whopping RM4.04 billion State Budget for next year, the largest ever in Sabah's 48-year history.

The people of Sabah have every reason to rejoice as the big budget means that more development programmes would be implemented for their benefit.

It is a holistic budget aimed at ensuring a balanced development of infrastructure and amenities between the rural and urban areas.

Themed "Accelerating the state's well-being and prosperity", the budget provides large funds to boost the state economy and improve the people's livelihood.

While the people are delighted with the huge budget, it is regrettable that the opposition has chosen to belittle it by questioning the ability of the state government to come up with the RM4.04 billion.

Having constantly labelled Sabah as one of the poorest in Malaysia, the opposition may have been taken by surprise with the huge budget.

To leaders of the Barisan Nasional, it was a perfect answer to quell the critics, especially the opposition, who have often described the state as one of the least developed.

It must be noted that despite uncertainties in the global economy and the fluctuating prices of oil, gas and commodities such as palm oil and timber, Sabah's economic fundamentals have remained strong because it is blessed with rich natural resources.

Most important is the proven capability of the state government, under the able leadership of the chief minister to efficiently and prudently manage its finances and resources.

Sabah has been among the top states that have achieved sound financial management, with giving it a clean bill by the Auditor-General for the last 11 consecutive years.

The state also received the highest rating of "AAA" by RAM Rating Services for the last three years for its strong fiscal position as a result of a series of surpluses and accumulation of strong reserves.

It has also obtained ISO certification from Moody International for efficiency and proper state budget management for three consecutive years. It must also be noted that the auditor-general's report for this year showed several actual figures that reflected the state's excellent financial achievements.

Among them was that the state reserves had exceeded RM3 billion, its revenue surpassing RM4 billion, actual surplus amounting to RM730 million, development expenditure at RM1.17 billion and it has no arrears on federal loans.

Perhaps, those who have often belittled the tireless efforts taken by the Sabah leadership to improve the state's economy and finances should compare the budget with that of Pakatan Rakyat-ruled states, like Selangor.

Despite being a more advanced and developed state, Selangor's budget for next year is only RM1.6 billion, while its reserves are about RM1 billion.

Musa, when tabling the budget at the State Assembly on Nov 18, expressed confidence in the ability of the state to deliver the RM4 billion budget, although its forecast revenue for next year is only RM3.6 billion. His optimism was based on the state's strong financial position and consistent actual surpluses, especially this year, where it recorded a surplus of RM730 million.

Musa, who is also State Finance Minister, said that Sabah's revised revenue for this year was about RM3.8 billion, an increase of more than RM1 billion or 39 per cent compared to the original estimate of RM2.4 billion.

About 80 per cent of its revenue for next year will come from crude palm oil sales tax, petroleum royalty, proceeds and interests from investments, land and forestry.

The bulk of next year's budget will be for special expenditures totalling RM2.3 billion, followed by RM1.1 billion for recurrent expenditures and RM623 million for emoluments.

A sum of RM881 million will be spent on development with focus on programmes and activities that will spur economic growth.

Emphasis is also given to the chief minister's three-prong Halatuju development strategy for agriculture, tourism and manufacturing as the state's main economic catalyst.

Special priority is also given to the eradication of poverty, creation of more jobs and providing skills training for the people.

With Sabah's economy growing rapidly and its finances in a strong footing, the state's budget for next year is a realistic one that took into account the state's development needs for the betterment of the people.

However, the huge budget would be meaningless if the targeted group did not benefit from the various development programmes that would be implemented.

As emphasised by the chief minister, elected representatives and government officers must constantly go to the ground to ensure the speedy and successful completion of projects.

The opposition may see it as an election budget, but to many in Sabah, it is a budget that would solve many of the state's development issues.

The big budget should erase the perception that Sabah is a poor and under-developed state.

Read more: RM4 billion Sabah budget surprise - Columnist - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/opinion/columnist/rm4-billion-sabah-budget-surprise-1.14236#ixzz1fTYGVraf

Interesting comment from an Old man

http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/2011/11/09/racist-evil-federal-leaders-duping-sabahans/

Take note that the poorest are not the Dusuns but Suluk/Orang Sungai Muslims. Refer to UNHDP data in 2006 and the latest World Bank poverty report in 2011.


Racist, evil’ federal leaders duping Sabahans
Luke Rintod
| November 9, 2011

Where has the billions of ringgit which the federal government claims was spent on Sabah infrastructure gone?

PENAMPANG: Billions of ringgit have been spent on infrastructure projects in Sabah but there is little to show for it, especially in rural areas.

This has prompted a veteran political operative in Sabah to accuse federal government leaders of having an “evil” and “racist” attitude towards Sabah and Sarawak.

Fredoline Edwin Lojingki, 71, claims that by denying the two states similar infrastructure enjoyed in the peninsula, the federal government has kept the people in two states impoverished and deficient.

Lojingki, once an activist in the defunct United Kadazan National Organisation (Unko) and now a coordinator in Borneo Heritage Foundation (BHF), said each year both the federal and state governments trumpeted that hundreds of millions of ringgits would be spent on Sabah alone for rural development but it was astonishing that little is accomplished.

“Each year billions of ringgits are allocated for infrastructure with a focus on basic infrastructure.

“What astonishes me is that little is felt here in many rural areas in Sabah.

‘I have travelled to many parts of Sabah in recent times and I found it scary to claim that those billions were ever spent in Sabah.

“Not even small bridges or roads have been built in many of those places I visited. Even in Penampang, Inanam, Papar, Kota Belud, Keningau, Tambunan, Kudat, not to mention Nabawan, Sook, Banggi and some of the remote places in Ranau, Pitas, Kota Marudu.

“Very little has been done to upgrade public amenities like kampung roads and tracks, pedestrian bridges and even small wooden bridges have been left to rot.

“Don’t talk about drainage in the kampungs … it is almost non-existent,” he said.

Endangering lives

Lojingki said Chief Minister Musa Aman and his deputy Joseph Pairin Kitingan must explain why thousands of suspension bridges in the rural areas, especially in Kadazandusun-Murut kampungs are left unattended for decades.

He said the failure to ensure such facilities are safe was endangering the lives of many, especially schoolchildren who used them on a daily basis to get to and from school.

“I pity our people being taken for granted so easily and cheaply, duped into believing they are well taken care off by the governments who pour in billions of ringgits every year.

“In reality, the situations in the rural has become relatively worse in term of development now compared to the 1970s and even 80s, when not as much money was spent on Sabah by the federal government.

“Those younger people must raise their voice and learn to be bold to demand from their YBs, the district officers and all the top civil servants who are in the decision-making team.

“They must ask why their roads are not tarred or upgraded, or why their balai rayas are dilapidated, why no new infrastructure has been provided?

‘They should demand to see how the district office and YBs spent their allocation?” he said.

Sabahans can issue ultimatum

As citizens, he said, Sabahans can issue an ultimatum to the government and political parties that their support is not a given one and they can reshape the political landscape any time.

“There is no point in the Auditor-General stating every year that money has been misspent when the people, the real beneficiaries of this public money, are denied the right to participate, plan and monitor how the yearly allocation are being spent in each district or constituency,” Lojingki said.

The lack infrastructure in the state has been an unending lament for decades.

The issue is only hurriedly addressed prior to an election when roads are given a new layer of asphalt whether they need it or not, drains cleared and a dash of paint applied.

Indeed, rural folk mock that an election must be around the corner whenever they notice some maintenance or development taking place.

The government, on the other hand, makes no effort to hide the fact that the people should in fact be happy that they are noticed.

Many note that preferential treatment is given to some communities, pointing out that infrastructure development in those areas they reside are far ahead of those dominated by communities not on the ‘A’ list.

This imbalance has caused political and social friction in the state and further divided an already fractured society.

[Photo from insightsabah.gov.my]

Penjajahan Sabah dalam Malaysia dijelaskan oleh Prof Abdul Aziz Bari

http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/bahasa/article/aziz-bari-secara-teknikal-tidak-pada-hakikat-british-jajah-kita/

Aziz Bari: ‘Secara teknikal tidak, pada hakikat British jajah kita’
Oleh G Manimaran
September 06, 2011
KUALA LUMPUR, 6 Sept — Pakar perlembangaan Prof Abdul Aziz Bari berkata meskipun negeri-negeri Melayu bukan atau tidak pernah dijajah oleh British, tetapi pada hakikatnya telah “dijajah kerana pentadbiran negeri dikawal” oleh kuasa Eropah itu sehingga negara merdeka lima dekad lalu.

“Pendeknya dari segi teknikal memang negeri-negeri Melayu bukan atau tidak pernah dijajah... hatta pentadbiran agama pun dipantau oleh British,” kata beliau dalam reaksi kepada The Malaysian Insider hari ini.

“Secara teknikal memang betul bahawa kita tak pernah dijajah; negeri-negeri Melayu hanya negeri lindungan. Hanya Melaka, Pulau Pinang, Sabah dan Sarawak yang pernah dijajah,” kata beliau.

Bagaimanapun menurut ahli akademik ini, negeri-negeri Melayu bukan negeri yang bebas dan berdaulat kerana mereka tidak bebas mengadakan hubungan luar.

“Raja-raja, contohnya, dipaksa menerima kejatuhan Empayar Uthmaniah yang dihancurkan oleh British dan sekutu-sekutunya pada 1924. Ini semua berlaku kerana Raja-raja di bawah tangan British meskipun mereka tidak dijajah.

“Selain itu meskipun di sisi undang-undang, yakni secara teknikalnya, mereka berdaulat kita semua tahu dasar dan undang-undang semuanya ditentukan oleh British,” kata beliau sambil menambah, Prof Emeritus Tan Sri Dr Khoo Kay Kim tidak harus membesar-besarkan kedudukan teknikal itu sehingga menafikan hakikat yang berlaku ketika itu.

Aziz (gambar) mengulas mengenai kritikan beberapa pihak ekoran pandangan tokoh sejarah itu bahawa negara ini sebenarnya tidak pernah dijajah oleh British, sebaliknya berada di bawah naungan negara Eropah itu.

Khoo melahirkan pandangan itu dalam satu temu bual dengan akhbar arus perdana kelmarin ketika kontroversi berkaitan kenyataan Timbalan Presiden PAS Mohamad Sabu hangat diperkatakan sehingga ada yang mahu fakta sejarah diteliti semula.

Negara akan menyambut ulang tahun kemerdekaan ke-54 bersama hari pembentukan Malaysia — buat julung kali pada 16 September ini.

Menjawab soalan mengenai kenyataan Mohamad bahawa Allaharham Datuk Onn Jaafar dan Almarhum Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj bukan pejuang kemerdekaan sebenar kerana mereka pegawai British, Khoo berkata: “Mereka tidak pernah bekerja dengan British. Kerajaan Melayu tidak pernah menjadi jajahan British. Kerajaan Melayu dulu secara rasmi dikenali sebagai Negeri Melayu Naungan iaitu di bawah perlindungan British, tetapi tetap diperintah oleh Raja.”

Katanya, kehadiran British adalah berasaskan perjanjian dengan raja setiap kerajaan dan pegawai British ditugaskan menjalankan pentadbiran, kedaulatan tetap pada raja.

“Maksudnya dari segi undang-undang, British tidak pernah menjajah kerajaan Melayu, hanya Negeri-Negeri Selat yang dikenali sebagai Tanah Jajahan Mahkota British. Pegawai British utama di Negeri-Negeri Selat dikenali sebagai gabenor, padahal kedudukan pegawai yang sama di kerajaan Melayu dikenali sebagai Pesuruhjaya Tinggi. Gabenor Hugh Clifford dalam ucapannya kepada Majlis Persekutuan pada Januari 1949 mengatakan apabila beliau merujuk kepada kerajaan Melayu: ‘They were, they are and they must remain Malay states. These states were when our cooperation in government was first invited Mohamedan monarchies. And such they are today. We have neither the right nor the desire to vary the system of government’,” katanya lagi.

Kata beliau, dalam undang-undang ada dua keadaan iaitu ‘de jure’ dan ‘de facto’.

“Datuk Onn mula-mula bekerja dengan kerajaan Johor dan Tunku dengan kerajaan Kedah. Mereka bekerja di negeri yang dianggap Negeri Melayu Tidak Bersekutu iaitu Raja masih ada banyak autonomi.

“Selepas perang, mula-mula Datuk Onn kemudian Tunku diterima oleh British sebagai presiden Umno yang diakui British sebagai parti politik orang Melayu. Oleh sebab orang Melayu menentang Malayan Union, British tidak melaksanakan Malayan Union. British selanjutnya berunding dengan Raja-Raja juga Umno untuk menentukan sistem lebih sesuai,” kata Khoo lagi dan menambah, “akibatnya pada Februari 1948, Persekutuan Tanah Melayu diwujudkan.”

Mengulas lanjut, Aziz berkata, Khoo perlu faham beza antara kedudukan teknikal dan formal dengan kenyataan atau hakikat, yakni sesuatu yang benar-benar berlaku.

“Sama seperti hari ini, Raja-raja adalah ketua agama. Soalnya apakah mereka benar-benar ketua agama dalam erti kata yang sebenar? Tidakkah pentadbiran agama dijalankan oleh kerajaan?” kata beliau lagi.

Sabah is cursed by its resources

A good lesson for Sabah's resource curse

http://edition.cnn.com/2011/BUSINESS/09/05/libya.oil.resource.curse/

The 'resource curse': An Alaskan solution for Libya?
By Kevin Voigt, CNN
September 6, 2011 -- Updated 0158 GMT (0958 HKT)
Small boats of Libyan rebels escort an oil tanker, laden with 73,000 tons of petrol, as it docks in the Benghazi harbor on August 5.
Small boats of Libyan rebels escort an oil tanker, laden with 73,000 tons of petrol, as it docks in the Benghazi harbor on August 5.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS

'Resource curse' hits economies depend on oil, gas or other natural resource exports
'Paradox of plenty' can prop up weak or corrupt leaders at expense of economic growth
Some economists believe countries like Libya could reform through sharing oil wealth
Many countries, such as Botswana and Norway, have avoided the 'resource curse'

(CNN) -- In the aftermath of the 42-year rule of Moammar Gadhafi, the world is left wondering whether the bloodiest conflict in the popular unrest that has swept the Arab World will signal the rise of democracy in Libya or a descent into chaos.

A group of economists is proposing one solution to help a strong Libya emerge from the smoldering ruins of civil war: Give all Libyans direct annual payments from oil revenue.

Call it the 'Alaska solution.'

"In 1982 then-governor Jay Hammond of Alaska said, 'Look, there is no check or balance on our use (of state oil revenue)," said Todd Moss, a senior fellow at the Center for Global Development in Washington. Hammond started a program to give residents annual checks from the state's petroleum fund. "That held Hammond and all his successors into account."
Economy expanding in Mongolia
Rebels anxious to avoid bloodshed

Libya is a textbook example, Moss said, of what is known as the "resource curse" - countries whose economies depend on oil, gas or other natural resource exports. It's sometimes known as "the paradox of plenty" - rather than create an economic boom, export cash from resource-rich nations often flows directly to corrupt leaders while most the population doesn't share in the wealth.

How to handle a sudden burst in commodity wealth is an issue that echoes around the globe, from the huge copper and coal mines plumbed in Mongolia, to the offshore gas fields in Ghana and vast tracts of lithium deposits in the Andes Mountains of Bolivia.

"Of course you have corruption, but I think the key thing about understanding how the resource curse works is it impedes economic and political development," said Arvind Subramanian, a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute of International Economics in Washington.

Resource curse in the Arab World

Research shows the more a nation's economy is dependent on export of natural resources, the less that nation's economy is likely to grow, says Ragnar Torvik, an economist at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology. "But it's a chicken and the egg question- is it natural resources that cause this low growth, or some bad economic and political conditions as a result of just specializing in natural resources?" Torvik said.

The unrest in the Arab world demonstrates the resource curse at play. "Why was the population (of Libya) not able to get rid of Gadhafi by their own, as they did in Egypt and Tunisia? One likely part of the answer is that the oil revenues in Libya is much more important than in Tunisia and Egypt, which gives the ruler a much wider menu of political choices to fight the democratic demands from the population," Torvik said.
Unfreezing Libya's assets
Why was the population (of Libya) not able to get rid of Gadhafi by their own, as they did in Egypt and Tunisia?
--Ragnar Torvik, Norwegian University of Science and Technology

"And why was the response in Saudi Arabia to hand out large sums of cash to the people? Presumably this was not because suddenly that they cared more about the people - the more likely answer is that this was a move to maintain political power and avoid demands for democracy," Torvik said. "So I think indeed the varieties of experience in the Middle East in the last months have much to do with oil revenues."

Major natural resources aren't necessarily a national curse. A recent survey of the 10 most livable cities by the Economist Intelligence Unit is dominated by cities in Canada and Australia - nations that both have booming commodities exports. While sub-Saharan countries like Nigeria and Congo have had moribund economic growth despite resource riches, diamond-rich Botswana is the fastest growing economy in Africa.

"Here in Norway we are one of the largest oil and gas exporters in the world; I can observe that in Nigeria oil has been bad, but in Norway it is good," Torvik said.

A key difference between nations that do well with natural resources and those that are "cursed" depends on the strength of government institutions before nations strike underground wealth, economists say. Botswana is one of the few sub-Saharan nations with a parliamentary system of government. Norway had 200 years of democracy before its off-shore oil industry took off in the 1970s.

Instead of giving direct payments to citizens, Norway has plowed all its oil revenues into a public fund for use in education or other public works. "We use 4% of the fund every year, the ambition is you don't eat the principal but live off the interest," Torvik said.

Mongolia grapples with 'curse'

On the steppes of Mongolia, the land of Genghis Khan has released a horde of coal and copper in recent years, causing an economic explosion in this landlocked nation in Central Asia. But worries are rising with its national coffers, Mongolian Prime Minister Sukhbaatar Batbold said.

"We talk a lot these days, and especially the last couple years, about the resource curse," Batbold told CNN.

"We have seen the Norwegian experience of sharing the benefit with the people. We have seen the Chilean stability fund, we have seen Canadian and Alaskan model," Batbold said. "We should not reinvent the wheel, we should better learn and copy from good successes."
Can Mongolia avoid corruption?
We talk a lot these days, and especially the last couple years, about the resource curse
--Mongolian Prime Minister Sukhbaatar Batbold

For example, Mongolia is using mining revenues to finance child cash benefits. Each Mongolian citizen will receive 536 shares from the privatization of the Tavan Tolgoi coal mine in southern Mongolia.

"Hopefully, the people will appreciate that they are responsible for an investment in their own future and that they will learn how to treat those shares and use them for benefit for themselves and their children in the future, rather than just selling them," said Bill Gorman, president of the Mongolian Stock Exchange.

Yet the challenges are stark for Mongolia, which has only has 20 years of democracy. The nation ranks 116th out of 187 nations in the 2010 Transparency International corruption perceptions. One-third of Mongolia's 2.8 million people live below the poverty line.

Corruption "is an enormous problem, but one of things we're hoping to do with our partnership with the London Stock Exchange is to make certain the listed companies have proper transparency and management," said Gorman of the Mongolian Stock Exchange.

Are taxes the solution?

Giving direct payments to Libyans, Subramanian and Moser argue, is a way for a new government in Tripoli to foster closer economic ties with its citizens - through taxes.

Taxes create an incentive for the government to make broad improvements across the economy to increase government revenues. And, as the Tea Party phenomenon in the U.S. shows, taxes create a populace that is deeply interested in how government spends its cash. "They are going to watch the government like a hawk," Moser said. "If one year people get a $500 check (from oil revenues) and the next year they get $400, they're going to wonder why."

"People think (an oil find) is Manna from heaven, so you don't need to tax," Subramanian says. "But that severs that two-way relationship between the governed and those who are governed."

Two practical problems to giving away oil cash: Convincing leaders it's in their best interests, and the modalities of getting that cash to citizens. "The latter is actually the easiest ... there's been a lot of advances in biometrics, such as iris scanning and fingerprinting, along with e-banking through cell phones," Moser said.

Trying to talk leaders in resource-rich countries to give it away, however, is another matter. Both Moser and Subramanian have approached leaders in Ghana and Nigeria, respectively, to distribute it - both were rebuffed.

Still, a new government in Libya could have a unique "constitutional moment" to allow its oil profits to flow directly to the populace, Subramanian said. "Libya is a country that has had virtually no political development for nearly 50 years," he said.

Adds Moser: "When you have a moment of transition, there's a lot of uncertainty - that's a moment you can lock into a certain kind of path you may not find for another generation."

CNN's Anna Coren contributed to this report