The development corridors mentioned for Sabah is similar to the KKIP.
Lessons gained is that it is just a land grab from Sabahans to be
given to private enterprises who are well financed by banks based in
West Malaysia.
Native land were forcefully acquired at RM3 per sq. foot and later
sold at higher prices. However the prices do not reflect the true
market prices of these beautfiful land at Sepanggar Bay.
The Oil Palm estates established along the roads where West Malaysian
companies managed to get approval for land that had already been
applied by Natives were similar in nature. Native customary rights
were denied to Natives.
In places where the natives had fought strongly like in Kalabakan,
Pensiangan, roads were very slow to be built. Started in 2001, it is
still not completed.
Another case, was the acquistion of Sabah Medical Centre building at
Likas which was sold to the Federal Government for RM50, despite its
good view on top of the hill at a prime residential land of King
Fisher Park to be replaced by a Hospital for women. Claimed to be a
specialist hospital, but it turned out to be just empty promises.
It is downgraded into low class hospital whereas Sabah Medical Centre
had to build a new building at Damai.
This is just a classic theft of Sabah's resources. The health ministry
does not even have enough allocation to build a new hospital, but has
to steal land and buildings from Sabahan. It is not a surprising
situation when only 7.9% were allocated to Sabah that has a population
of 13% of Malaysia, and an area of 25%, and with high inflationary
pressures due to transport and manufacturing monopolies demanded by
the Federal Government.
More corridors will mean more native land forcibly acquired to be sold
to private enterprises. The Federal Government does not even spend a
single cent for SAbah, while stealing all its petroleum and oil palm
resources.
What is need is more allocation for SAbah which is among the poorest
region in the whole world.
During the campaign against PBS, the Federal Government through BN
promised Free Trade Zones for SAbah which is vital for Sabah in 1994.
It is a form of budget allocation because taxes are subsidised in
Sabah. It never materialised. Many of those false promises for Sabah.
The result is that Sabah is now among the poorest in the whole world.
Instead of eradicating poverty, the BN government, try to eradicate
Hardcore Poverty. This is entirely different from eradicating poverty.
It is much cheaper and easier to eradicate Hardcore poverty because
only 24,000 families are involved and the amount to be spent is also
very small, less than RM1200 per family.
To eradicate poverty in SAbah, needs RM820 per month per family
amounting to RM10,000. This is 50% higher than the RM690 in the 2004
poverty statistics.
This figure was given to me by a UMS academician who specialise in
poverty studies. I was so shocked to hear his statement. I'm sure the
govenment will not allow this figure to be officially used. In fact,
the Federal Minister had already announced that the poverty figures
must be amended to be the same for the whole of Malaysia.
Which means that Sabah will deteriorate further among the poorest in
the whole world, when thefts by these corridors were implemented.
What is needed is more budget allocation to build roads and
infrastructures. The Bakun DAm electricity is badly needed in Kota
Kinabalu. We had many power cuts this week alone. In fact, just now, I
had a power failure. The other day, also more power cuts.
What is the point of having development corridors when there is no
electricity to power them. Or water and roads.
The Trans Borneo Highway is badly needed in order to improve trade
with Brunei and Kalimantan.
Forget about any development corridors. Spend more on
infrastructures. Sabahans will develop themselves from then on. What
is required is just OUR OWN MONEY BACK.
WE NEVER DEMAND ANY MONEY FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THAT IS NOT
OURS, IN THE FIRST PLACE.
The Federal Government had broken the constitution as well as the
Malaysia Agreement that a minimum of 20% of resources must be given
back to Sabah.
Now the Petronas Agreement whereby it allows itself to give to SAbah
less than 1% of our oil revenue is certainly illegal. The minimum
amount must be 20%.
SAbahans must stop blaming ourselves for our short comings. REmember
that victims are never at fault. Our leaders may be stupid or made
mistakes. I myself only realised many of these points a few months
back so I also made major mistakes in not highlighting these issues.
We should not have trusted foreigners. Especially foreigners with
powers like the Malayans. Sabahans must be willing to fight to the
death to protect its rights and resources. WE should not be
intimidated. We should never delve in self-pity.
Corruption and illegal immigrations are important issues but lack of
budget spending is the second most disastrous one. We must show it
clearly, or else there will be no future for our children and grand
children.
The loss of our Federal Representation is the worst, which led to all
these other problems, but this is a more complicated issue.
Sabah is heaven free from any natural disaster,
but Malaysia is the only Disaster for Sabah.
How long will the Heaven Last in Sabah?