Sabah has many lightweight politicians

Daily Express

2 days ago

Published on: Sunday, June 01, 2025
Published on: Sun, Jun 01, 2025
By: John Lo Text Size: Many Leaders Don't Appreciate Problems of Majority of Sabahans. Worse. Some are plain ignorant, couldn't careless or greedy and selfish.[1] Leaders from Malaya:
Advertisement They fly in their private jets, others in business class [some with marauding and predatory businessmen in tow], welcomed at the airport, ushered into KKIA VIP lounge, given VIPs treatment by subservient Sabahans. Chauffeur driven in expensive limousine or Lexus 4x4. Can't feel the bumps and potholes on the bad roads. Expensive five star meals. Give rousing speeches, promises of pie in the sky with their sleek tongues, but with little relevance to the plights of Sabahans. VIP send offs at KKIA VIP lounge. Wave good-byes to their Sabah macai. All the promises in their speeches to Sabahans forgotten before they enter their planes. Next time, don't listen to their words. Watch their body language. To them, Sabah is only a small piece of their political jigsaw, not 1/3 partner of Malaysia, that needs to be controlled and owned for their national political strategy and to fuel their personal national political ambitions. To them, Sabah political leaders are like tea bags, needed when useful, after use, dust bin in they go. Ask yourselves, how many leaders from Malaya did really care for Sabahans? Look at the poverty in Sabah, the huge disparity of development in Sabah and Malaya. Sabah would have been developed if only the Federal Government has devoted 10pc of fund and efforts that it has poured into Selangor for Sabah. There lies your answer. Any 'naughty' Sabah leaders, especially 'branch managers' of Malayan parties, would be cast off swiftly. This has been ongoing since MA63. Can Sabahans blame them? No. They have their own political base, state and federal political ambitions to worry! Blame our leaders who have boxed themselves and Sabah into this unenviable rat-hole, all because they have failed their duties to Sabahans. They have downgraded Sabah's position to inconsequence and irrelevance politically and economically. To the Malayan leaders, how important is Sabah in comparison with other states? Very unimportant for a simple reason, Sabah leaders can be 'sorted' out easily, submissive and undemanding. Reflections of these are on the shabby treatments, among many others, in the allocation of development fund and total lack of representation in Federal agencies and GLCs for Sabah. For that, Sabahans have suffered for it for decades. [2] Very Few Sabah leaders can stand up to Malayan leaders. Rare. Very few. Not enough of them! Most Sabah Leaders are no match compared with Leaders from Malaya. Sabah has too many light weight political leaders. There is a giant vacuum, a very severe shortage of statesmanship among Sabah leaders. Urgently required: 'Sabah for Sabahans' Leaders with Quality. Are there such leaders? Very, very few! How many leaders are expounding their economic ideas to make our lives better in the coming election? Our only hope is that the 2025 election will bless us with a few more. What Leadership Qualities Sabah must have? [1] Decent, Principled, Upright, Assertive with Wisdom and Pragmatism, Able to Command Respect from Malayan Leaders in Federal Government. Example? As a matter of principle, Rafizi has just resigned as Economy Minister. He has refused to cling on to power. No Sabah equivalent. [2] Appreciative of economic plights of Sabahans from the B40, rural farmers, fishermen and young families whose meagre incomes are being eroded by incessant inflation at an alarming speed. How many care Sabah children are walking through mud and rain on empty stomachs to schools? [3] In depth understanding of Sabah's deep-rooted and long outstanding economic malaises, especially the loss of economic ownership to non-Sabahans. [4] Assertive leadership on 40% net revenue share, TSA 2012, MA63 Rights, equitable representation as 1/3 partner in all important Federal Agencies, GLCs, GLICs and Statutory Bodies. All these are Malaya centric. Equally important, Sabah must have a say in all important Federal Policies, especially monetary, fiscal, investment, industrialization. [5] Stop leakages. Tighten and expand collection of revenue: So much resources, so much poverty. This situation must be obvious to anyone who cares. Leakages from corruption, careless procurements, poor collection of taxes, senseless spending. A lot of potential revenue can be collected. Masidi is doing a good job in plugging many of these loopholes, hence the impressive increase of state revenue. This must continue. [6] Stop GLCs' massive Bleeding. Indifferent chairmen and directors, poor and bad governance have bled away billions. Hajiji and Masidi have initiated revamp with an oversight committee and appointed some good/qualified people in SMJ Energy, Sabah Energy, SOGDC, Sabah Credit, POIC LD. This will require extraordinary leadership quality with political courage to continue the revamp. Sorting out the GLCs will be equivalent to solving more than 50% of Sabah's economic problems. The GLCs, mostly not performing, are in all important economic sectors and have monopolies. Sabah's economy will be great if the GLCs can be transformed to perform. If each of the 250 GLCs, on average, can contribute Rm20m dividend, this will amount to RM5b to Sabah's revenue. If each GLC can generate 10 meaningful jobs for, it will come to 2,500. 100 will be 25,000! We can say good bye to unemployment. The multiplier effects will tremendous! Sabah will be great again. Absolutely possible 1: KPJ Hospital Group [Johor SEDCO] makes RM350m profit, has 15,000 employees. Its market capitalization of RM1.9b. How many Sabah's GLC can match KPJ's profits? Absolutely possible 2: Many Sabah's GLCs have many monopolies, free land, Sabah Government's backing and special concessions and approvals. But they must monetize all these advantages. Grow the Economy, Manage the Resources, Retain and Attract more investments. Sabah leaders must grow the economy as a top priority. Grow and expand the economy is the ultimate solution to solve Sabah perennial problems of infrastructures and unemployment. In trying to grow the Sabah's economy, Hajiji has laid the foundation for Sabah's economic restructure. Substantial progress so far, especially in oil/gas and manufacturing. He has also attracted RM58b investments. Deeply saddening that a very tiny number of leaders, up to now, have shared their ideas on growing the economy, managing Sabah's resources for Sabahans, retain investment already in Sabah and attract more investment. Steering the Sabah's economy onto a growth path will be very challenging in the very uncertain global, multipolar world. Both World Bank and IMF have downgraded global growth. Malaysia too. Sabah will be impacted. No escape. Good economic leadership can minimize these impacts. Give a Strong Madate to the next Government. A weak government will mean stagnant economy and lots of uncertainties. Worse, it will be subject to manipulations and instability. There may be more blackmails or attempts to overthrow of our government. Unlikely that a weak government can undertake or continue the economic transformation. Sabahans must give a strong mandate to the next government to solve all the perennial problems in Sabah, claims of MA63 rights from Federal Government and tackle global uncertainties. My Appeal to Leaders of all major Sabah Parties. Reduce fighting, focus your energy and plans on how you will manage Sabah's economy. Sabahans deserve better deals from the Federal Government, better lives, more job and investment opportunities and most of all a more secured future. We don't want leaders only good with empty promises. We need statesmen who are well versed in economic management and who can deliver a better future for all Sabahans. Last and most important, Sabah must have leaders who can stand tall with Federal leaders, maintain a respectful and collaborative relationship.