http://jaffpoint.blogspot.com/2008/05/storm-brewing-sabah.html
By Jaff Point
Wednesday, May 14, 2008

The political maneuvers between PR and BN are still very active despite the result of recent election. The hot topic is on the BN members of parliament jumping ship to PR. The hottest state under speculation is Sabah, maybe due to its past records on changing alliances. Actually BN has a firm grip of that state winning almost 100% but then why this fragile loyalty. In fact most of key leaders from Sabah have started speaking their mind reminding their needs and expectations such as:

a) preservation of village reserves and Native Customary Right land.
b) abolishment of refugee settlements and establishments of a Royal Commission of Inquiry to investigate alleged issuance of identity cards to illegal immigrants.
c) development of basic infrastructures such as roads, electricity and treated water supply, especially in rural areas.
d) better representation of Sabah leaders at the federal level.
e) fairer returns for Sabah from the federal agencies in government linked companies.
f) abolishing the cooking oil subsidy scheme, which burdens oil palm planters.
g) abolishment of State Federal Development Department, set up to monitor disbursement of federal funds when Sabah was under the opposition PBS Government
h) priority to local Sabahans for top government positions instead of officers from Peninsular Malaysia.
i) more systematic development of schools, sufficient primary and secondary teachers especially in rural areas.
j) a solution to high cost of freight charges for goods imported into Sabah from Port Klang.

Most of the request above look reasonable and implementable but then action to address the issues must be slow resulting in all main stream and alternative medias covering it and Sabah MPs raising the same issues in parliament.

Although to get all the Sabah MPs changing alliances is almost impossible but if majority of them choose to change camp it will start the ball rolling for other MPs to follow suit. Pak Lah has no choice but to take early effective action to avoid the storm and move the ship to safe quadrant. Failing which the ship will enter the “calm area??? which is the eye of the storm before all hell break loose.