Digressing from My Three Dimensions: A Little Politics

Many people have seen it coming, but the federal government, still living in the state of denial have failed to anticipate this. Today, the Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) announced its intention to support a motion of no-confidence against the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. The PM was reported as being unaware of such move by SAPP, but none to many were shock by such action by one of the main Barisan component parties in Sabah. The only shock perhaps, is that the decision has come too early. In fact, Datuk Yong Teck Lee, the SAPP President had intially given an ultimatum to the federal government until this September to resolve the problems in Sabah.

No one would blame the SAPP for taking such a radical move. It is the worst kept secret in Sabah that many Filipino Muslims in Sabah have been granted Malaysian citizenship in an attempt to tilt the religious balance in Sabah, which had previously been a Muslim-minority state. A common misconception is that such policy was brought about by UMNO when they made inroads into Sabah government after the 1995 state elections. In fact, the policy has been in existence even before that, in the early 1970s druing the era of former USNO President, the late Tun Datu Mustapha, who was himself of a Suluk/Muslim origin. The BN government, led by UMNO, however, have failed to reslove this issue, and may indeed have encouraged the continuance of it. This is however, not the only cause of dissatisfaction among Sabahans. The state has been underdeveloped, and it is probably one of the poorest state in the country. Over and over again, tha federal government have overlooked the state when it comes to funding and development. Apart from Kota Kinabalu, and to some extent, Sandakan and Tawau, the condition in other parts of Sabah is hardly reflective of a developing state. Many would have scoffed at Sabah for begging for funds from the federal government, but such was not the case. The state has been stripped of most of its reserves by the federal government, and only a minute amount goes to the state reserves.

That is not the only problem. The economic climate there is not exactly booming, but yet, prices of items can be 50% higher than those in West Malaysia. I do not know whether this is still a problem there, but when I was in Sabah, there was an apparent lack of schools, classrooms and teachers. A class would normally average between 55 to 60 students. Teachers would normally have to teach two subjects in each classes. The usual problems of basic roads, water and electricity in the rural areas are still prevalent.

Since taking over as the PM, Abdullah has not make any effort to improve the situation in Sabah. Hence, it would come as no suprise that SAPP shall vote in favour of such motion. In effect, it may be inevitable that the SAPP would resign itself from the coalition. The bigger question is of course, whether it shall remain independent on its own, or rather, join the Pakatan Rakyat.

Readers of this blog would known that I have my reservations on the Pakatan Rakyat, mainly because of its de facto leader, Anwar Ibrahim. Those who have any memory of his tenure as the Deputy Prime Minister and his time in UMNO would known his extremist and racist approach to politics. After being released from the prison, he has attempted to style himself as a father of reformation of Malaysian politics. However, he is still the cunning and calculative Anwar we have come to know of. His attempt to buy over Members of the Parliament from Sabah especially has left a bad taste in my mouth. Excellent orator he may be, but I will not be fooled. Pakatan Rakyat, looks as if it is merely a flavour of the month. Electing someone who was formerly the No. 2 man in a regime of corruption would be redundant. Malaysians need a revolutionary leader, and Anwar Ibrahim is not that leader. He is merely hypocrite, who is serving his own political purposes, who wants nothing than a revenge against the government who ousted him. He is a man who wants to fulfill what he thought was his destiny, by hook or by crook.

During my time in Sabah, I have came to known Datuk Yong as an excellent politician who serves the rakyat well. I remembered that he used to set up a booth around Likas using his van to allow people to channel their greviances. I would think that by defecting to the Pakatan Rakyat will deal a severe blow to his reputation, and also to Sabahan politicians. They would be looked as a lap dog by others, someone who is only willing to serve those who would give them benefits in return for a benefit. Defecting to a person who promises you windfalls would not benefit your state in a long term as you are only their pawn in their war. When the time comes that you are no longer useful, you will be cast aside and left to fend for yourself.

An independent Sabahan MPs bloc would be the route I would favoured the most. It retains the integrity of Datuk Yong and his counterparts. It avoids them from being played as a pawn by either side of the party.

As for the current government and Abdullah, spelling out a succession plan to Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak would do nothing in your favour. Najib may be a slightly more charismatic and a less sleepy leader, but the amount of his dirty laundry exceed those of all ministers combined. This brings me to a very sad political scenario in Malaysia. We do not have one single leader capable of making a change in this country. We do not have a Barack Obama, we do not have people who are brave enough to step up an make genuine changes, not changes driven by political devils. Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamed, in his glorious days as the Prime Minister has snuffed out too many talented leaders in an attempt to consolidate his position, and we are reeling from the effects of it now.