Digest on Malaysian News

That's right. East Malaysian has been taken for a free ride for the last 50 years. East Malaysian have been faithful and loyal to the ruling federal government. East Malaysia has been branded as "fixed deposit" states by Najib but got cheated and got no interest paid on the so-called fixed deposit.

After the result of Malaysia general election 2008, in which the Barisan National narrowly win, East Malaysian are not given their fair shares in Cabinet ministerial representation. BN in West Malaysia lost 5 states to the opposition while the East Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak delivered 54 seats (almost a third of BN total win in the parliamentary seats).

And what is the rewards for the MP from Sabah and Sarawak ? Only a handful of federal ministerial positions, mostly are deputy ministers.

Syabas for Bernard Dompok for being vocal about this issue. Let Badawi knows that Sabahan and Sarawakian are more politically aware now. And big shame to Musa and Taib for kow-towing to Badawi and keeping mum about it.


Extract from : http://www.newsabahtimes.com.my/nstweb/fullstory/17027 (Mar 31, 2008)

Taken for granted

KOTA KINABALU: More Sabah leaders are coming forward to express their thoughts out in the open, saying that more of its MPs be given roles in the Cabinet and that rewards could also come in the form of more development.

Another also called on Sabah Barisan Nasional leaders to provide the Prime Minister with feedback from the people when Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi visits the state soon.

The United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation (UPKO) party president Tan Sri Bernard Dompok said Sabah BN component parties want balanced representation in the (Federal) Cabinet.

He said that wherever he went, he was questioned on the issue of Sabah BN representation in the Federal Government, especially after they had won 24 of the 25 parliamentary seats in the state in the March 8 general election.

“So, they (federal government) should look at what has been given to Sabah to maintain (the victory for the BN),” he was quoting as telling Bernama. He said this was among the issues that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had to clarify during his upcoming meeting with Sabah BN leaders, expected to be held in Kota Kinabalu this week.

Dompok, who is Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, said Sabah and Sarawak, which delivered 54 of the 140 parliamentary seats to the BN, only got five ministerial posts — three for Sabah and two for Sarawak — while Johor BN, which delivered 25 seats, got seven ministerial posts, he said. Dompok said: “It looks like what the people of Sabah have given (to the BN) has been taken for granted.

“They (the federal government) have to look fairly, (in the) case of Sabah and Sarawak, for their splendid performance in the recent general election,” he said. When announcing his cabinet on March 18, Abdullah retained the three posts of minister and raised from two to four the posts of deputy minister for Sabah. Kimanis MP Datuk Anifah Aman declined to accept the post of deputy minister of transport while Kalabakan MP Datuk Abdul Ghapur Salleh resigned as deputy minister of natural resources and environment on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Puteri Umno vice-head Rosnah Abdul Rashid Shirlin yesterday called on Sabah Barisan Nasional (BN) leaders to take advantage of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s forthcoming visit to the state to provide him with the feedback from the people.

Kemabong assemblyman, Datuk Rubin Balang said the federal government need not think too long on the form of rewards that should be given to the people of Sabah.