Musa slams ignorant PKR assemblyman

Opposition assemblyman Jelani Hamdan was forced to retrack his claims and apologise after he was proven wrong.

KOTA KINABALU: A Sabah PKR assemblyman who claimed that the Musa Aman administration will sideline constituencies won by the opposition in the recent 13th general election received a verbal lashing from the Chief Minister.

Slamming Jelani Hamdan,  Musa said: “BN is a responsible government and has a good track record.

“We respect and accept the people’s decision in the 13th general Election.

“Despite the disparagements hurled at it (his administration) by the opposition, the BN government will endeavour to meet the needs of the people and hear them out, regardless of race and religion.”

Jelani had also gone on to claim that his rural constituency Matunggong was ignored by the BN administration.

Again Musa chidded his ignorance.

“There is no basis. The state government has developed various rural poverty eradication programmes in Matunggong, such as the Mini Estet Sejahtera (MESEJ) project.

“BN (has) will meet the needs of the people (everywhere),” he told Jelani after interjecting the later’s debate on the motion of thanks to the Yang DiPertua Negri Tun Juhar Mahiruddin.

In the recent 13th general election Sabah opposition coalition Pakatan Rakyat won an unprecedented 12 state constituencies. Another local opposition party Sabah State Reform Party won one seat –Bingkor- through its chief Jeffrey Kitinggan. Together the opposition hold just over 20% of the 60 seat assembly.

There has been widespread rumours that BN will avenge its loss of seats and voters in these constituencies will be made to “suffer”.

But victimising the voters for their choice, many opine, will only worsen the situation for BN in view of a politcally empowered voter base in GE14.

Perhaps this was the reason why an aware Musa had in his opening speech in the current sitting called on civil servants, who were the implementors of BN policies, to act in an “intelligent manner”.

Musa reportedly said that the people had made their decision and it was now important for all elected representatives and civil servants to “cooperate, work, serve and contribute to the people”

Raise factual issues
Jelani had during his speech caused a commotion when he accused the state government of failing to bring development and eradicate poverty in his area.

A number of BN members then demanded that Jelani retract his claims, prompting Musa, who is also state Finance minister to stand up and chide him.

Musa then demanded that Jelani apologise and retract his claims or otherwise provide evidence to the effect.

The opposition member subsequently obliged with an apology and withdrew his claims.

The Sabah Legislative Assembly is sitting for the first time after the May 5 general election. Majority of the opposition assemblyman are freshies.

Meanwhile a political observer here advised opposition assemblymen to be “well prepared” with their arguments and issues they raised at the state assembly sittings.

“This is valuable time (DUN sittings) for opposition reps. They should raise important factual issues and push for quick workable solutions to Sabah’s woes.

“Enough with the tirades and emotional outbursts,” he said alluding to past sparrings between the opposition and ruling BN in the state and federal parliament sittings.