MoCS speads its wings to Sabah

The Sabah chapter of the Movement for Change Sarawak (MoCS) will be a 'separate entity', according to initiator Francis Siah, and would call for the revival of the rotation system for chief minister.

KOTA KINABALU: The Movement for Change Sarawak (MoCS) has formed a new independent wing in Sabah.

Called the Movement for Change Sabah, the apolitical NGO, while aiming to voice the dissatisfaction of Sabahans, will support the direction and plans of the federal government in developing the state.

Topping the group’s agenda are the longstanding land applications by local residents; poor infrastructure facilities such as water, roads and electricity to rural areas; subsidies to farmers and fisherman; unfair distribution of welfare aid; jobless Sabahans; and the low participation of locals in agropolitan projects.

The group is also seeking to find out why the federal government has repeatedly rejected the application by former United Sabah National Organisation (Usno) members to form a new party.

The group also wants to revive the rotation system for chief minister and to limit their terms to five years, instead of two that was previously practised.

“We want an answer from the federal government on why it has allowed other parties to form such as Makkal Sakti, Parti Cinta Malaysia (PCM), but it has not approved the application to register a new Usno party.

“We want a meeting with Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak to discuss this issue,” said Movement for Change Sabah chief, Abdul Razak Salam, during a dialogue with some supporters and the media yesterday.

On calls to oust Umno from Sabah politics, Abdul Razak said MoCS was sympathetic, since Umno had come in by the back door after former Usno president Tun Mustapha Harun had deregistered the party to allow its members to join the peninsula-based party.

Change system of cronyism

Meanwhile, MoCS leader Francis Siah said the new Sabah wing would be a “separate entity from MoCS”, but would still cooperate in changing the face of politics in both states.

Asked what the Movement for Change in Sabah could offer in changing the political landscape of the state, Siah said: “To be honest, we can offer nothing. There is nothing to gain and all to lose.

“We hope to change the system of cronyism that is prevalent in our political system. We will not be accepting funds from anybody who wishes to control us.

“We want to change the mentality of fear and intimidation that the government uses to turn its people to be subservient to them.”

While Sabah and Sarawak may be in the same boat of having long-serving chief ministers who have dictated the political landscape in their respective states, Siah said that Sabah was different since it had allowed the entrance of Umno into the state.

“Local politicians may have made a few mistakes and we are here to help them correct the mistakes,” Siah said.