KOTA KINABALU: DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng has struck the first blow ahead of the Sandakan by-election nomination day, accusing the opposition of hampering efforts to restore Sabah’s status as an equal partner in Malaysia.
Lim, who is also finance minister, said Pakatan Harapan had kept its promise after assuming power last May after it moved to return Sabah to its original position of being one of three entities in the federation.
“We tried to amend the constitution to restore Sabah’s original status. But, unfortunately, it was foiled by parties from the opposition.
“That is why we are asking the Sabah people not to support the opposition.
“Support the state and federal government,” he told reporters after the announcement of Vivian Wong Shir Yee as Pakatan Harapan’s by-election candidate for Sandakan today.
The Federal Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2019, which sought to restore equal status to Sabah and Sarawak, was defeated earlier this month after the Pakatan Harapan government failed to secure the 148 votes for a two-thirds majority in the Dewan Rakyat.
Lim also hit out at former Umno federal minister Khairy Jamaluddin over a claim that the PH government wanted to take credit for Barisan Nasional-initiated projects in Sandakan.
“I announced 49 projects (for Sandakan) and he only mentioned two of them? That shows he has lost his ‘modal politik’ (political capital).
“I also want to ask: why were these projects not implemented during BN’s time? That has always been the question mark — they know how to talk but not carry out the work. But to rob the people’s money, maybe they know lah,” he said.
Khairy had said two of the 49 approved projects Lim had announced were actually announced by BN previously.
The Rembau MP was referring to the RM40 million flood mitigation project along Sungai Anip and the expansion of Sandakan airport, together with extension of the runway, expected to cost RM80 million.
“The decision by the PH government to proceed with these development projects planned during BN’s administration should be appreciated. If PH wants to take credit for them, then by all means,” Khairy said.
However, he added: “If PH wants to gain any political mileage in light of the Sandakan by-election, don’t cover up the truth as if these are new projects carried out by the PH administration.”
Lim said the federal government had already allocated RM20 million for the Sandakan airport project, adding he would ensure work on it starts this year as scheduled.
“This is the problem with the old government. We wait for a long time for a project to be implemented but it will not come.
“(It’s like) waiting for the durian that will not fall,” he said, referring to a popular Malay idiom. - FMT
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