Formula to win over Sabah

Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) vice-president Datuk Dr Chua Soon Bui.

PETALING JAYA (Nov 6): Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had promised to let SAPP contest two thirds of the seats in the Sabah state assembly, while national based opposition parties will contest two thirds of the Parliamentary seats.

 

Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) vice-president Datuk Dr Chua Soon Bui, in revealing this, said the party is going along with this formula after reaching a consensus with Anwar, who she assumes will go back to negotiate with the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) partners.

 

“Anwar is recognised as the spokesman of PR coalition. Obviously, when we are negotiating, they are willing to seek a formula, it should be a win-win situation for all,” the Tawau MP told fz.com in an exclusive interview recently in parliament.

 

When asked when this consensus was reached, Chua said the parties have been talking from the beginning of this year, but negotiations are still on going, because the political scenario is dynamic.

 

“We are not sure if there are any more parliamentarians or state assemblymen leaving BN, as it will change the balance of the negotiation. Anyway the main negotiation that we are doing with PR is (with) PKR, and Anwar is leading PKR. So hopefully we can reach a final consensus just before the election,” the affable politician said.

 

Currently, the national-based and local-based opposition parties are in negotiation to come up with a formula that would satisfy every party. However, the likelihood that an amicable solution would result is not very strong, as there are many political considerations in the Land Below the Wind.

 

These include the State Reform Party (STAR) Sabah, led by the Kadazandusun strongman Datuk Dr Jeffery Kitingan, which is reportedly eyeing the rural seats, and has gone on record to say the party will contest all the state seats.

 

Also, DAP and SAPP are eyeing similar urban and Chinese majority seats. Furthermore, it is unsure what role the two BN MPs - Datuk Seri Lajim Ukin (Beaufort) and Datuk Seri Wilfred Bumburing (Tuaran) - who quit Umno and Upko respectively to join Pakatan Rakyat in Sabah.

 

To Chua, the opposition should have a common goal - to fight against BN - and also a common vision as to what to do for the people.

 

She feels that the opposition front already share a common ideology and vision, and the parties merely need to work out a formula as the two MPs had changed the equation.

 

She also hopes that leaderships of all parties could recognize the difficulties in challenging BN and choose winnable candidates.

 

‘BN is arrogant’

 

When asked if she was planning to contest in the next election, Chua brushed it aside, saying that it is the prerogative of the party president Datuk Seri Yong Teck Lee, and the important thing is to strengthen the party’s network. The party has two MPs and two state assemblymen (the two other state assemblymen opted to remain as BN independents).

 

Chua ventured into politics in 1994 and become one of the pioneers of the SAPP which was registered in 1994. She witnessed the party became a partner of BN Sabah, before it pulled out of the alliance in 2009, citing loss of confidence in the leadership of Prime Minister and BN chairman Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

 

She was elected in 1995 GE and 2008 GE on the BN ticket and enjoyed the allocations and help of government agencies until she left the coalition.

 

According to Chua, Sabah BN is different now, and has become very arrogant.

 

“They think by putting a lot of pressure on people, they will still gain,” she says with a shake of her head.

 

Among the tactics used by the BN, Chua says, is to go to the rural folk and tell them that they will only get something vital, say water tanks, if they hang up the BN flag. This sort of pressure will have adverse effect, she points out.

 

She also says there’s a lot of frustration on the ground, not just among civil servants overlooked for promotion in favour of Peninsular counterparts; but also among businessmen who are not being given the opportunity to grow, as well as lorry drivers who are responsible for keeping vital supplies moving – “We are talking about everybody,” says Chua.

 

She noted that Sabahans are quite conservative and will not show their political inclination openly, but “Sabah had changed government three times, so they won’t tell you, when the right time come they will show you.”

 

Chua feels this swing, if it happens, would be reflected both in the state and parliamentary seats.

 

As the situation in Peninsular Malaysia is 50:50 for BN and PR, Sabah and Sarawak would become the kingmaker, once again, the MP says.

 

She believes once Pakatan takes over the federal government, Sabah will also fall to them. The opposition front will be able to govern the state in a better manner as money saved from corruption and leakages would be used for the state budget.

 

“So the main challenge now is how far the opposition front is able to work together to capture the window of opportunity,” Chua says.

 

‘Foreign’ voter is the real threat

 

Although it is not easy for so many parties to reach a workable formula, Chua is optimistic, adding that the real threat is the votes from “foreigners”.

 

“We are not afraid of the (local) people being influenced by money; now with technology they watch TV, their children study here (in Peninsular Malaysia) and will tell their parents about the injustice to Sabah. About why Sabah is so rich in resources, yet the people are so poor.

 

“No. We are more worried about the illegal voters.”

 

According to government figures, currently there are 899,799 foreigners in Sabah, but Chua claims the real number is much higher.

 

She points out that in the first eight months of this year, more than 30,000 foreigners came into Sabah via Tawau Jetty, but many overstayed. While last year, 217,000 foreigners came in but only 167,000 left, which means 51,000 of foreigners overstayed.

 

“So this immigrant problem is not the problem of the past. With Royal Commission of Inquiry (on Sabah Immigrants), you are going to tackle what happened before, but it is still happening every day. ”

 

She voiced her concern over the influx of foreigners in Sabah who take up jobs, and enjoy the subsidised food and healthcare services in this country.

 

Will the government go after big fish?

 

While admitting the immigrant issue is the biggest issue face by the Sabah people, Chua is sceptical over the sincerity of the government in solving this long standing issue, and whether those who gave instructions to give citizenships and also voter rights to these people would be prosecuted.

 

“We would like to know what happened, and we hope the report will be transparent. But who were the people actually giving that instruction? When you have big amount of people (were given citizenships), (it) must involve some authority higher up. Will the RCI actually reveal the culprits?” she asked.

 

She also lamented the lack of enforcement on the government side, as this gives a wrong impression to the foreigners that they can come in anytime and overstay.

 

Unless the government has the political will to take stern action against them and guard our borders, this problem will persists, warns Chua, and Sabahans will continue to lose out. - fz.com