WHO DOES NAJIB THINK WE ARE – UMNO’S CASH-COW?: SABAHANS INSULTED BY NAJIB’S BUDGET

Kota Kinabalu: “PM Najib not only lost his golden opportunity to make good Sabah’s 40% net revenue entitlement and other revenues under the Federal Constitution. Budget 2018 also confirms that Sabah is nothing more than a cash cow and a resource-rich far-flung colony exploited to its fullest” said Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan, Bingkor Assemblyman, on Budget 2018.

“Budget 2018 is clearly an election budget with goodies here and there especially government servants but a major disappointment for Sabah. Hopefully, the civil servants especially those in Sabah will vote wisely in PRU-14 and not condemn Sabahans to a bleak future” added Dr. Jeffrey.

Despite the obligations expressly provided in the Federal Constitution, political rhetoric and sweet promises of being prepared to listen, Budget 2018 only re-affirms that Kuala Lumpur/Malaya does not care, they only have one clear objective, ie. to control, colonise and exploit the Borneo States.

Sarawak and Sabah are the 3rd and 5th largest contributors of Malaysia’s GDP.

Sarawak produces more than half of Malaysia’s natural gas production and its oil and gas alone contributes more than RM50 billion annually.

Sabah produces some 65% of the nation’s crude oil production with the 2 largest oil production platforms, producing 193,000 and 135,000 barrels per day. At the current USD60 per barrel, they are worth more than RM83.64 billion annually. In comparison, the latest Terengganu platform only produces 2,000 barrels per day.

In terms of palm oil, Sabah is the world’s third biggest producer by region, contributing more than RM20 billion annually. Many of these oil palm plantation companies are based in Malaya where they pay their taxes to the Federal government.

Sarawak and Sabah are the second poorest and poorest States in the nation, with Sabah and Labuan housing 40% of the nation’s poor. Obviously, the recent poverty figures given by the government of little poor in Sabah is not a true reflection of the reality in Sabah.

In terms of development, Sabah and Sarawak lags at least 30 – 40 years behind Malaya. More than 50% of the population do not have clean treated water, still relying on gravity-fed riverine or rainwater. In Budget 2018, only RM300 million is allocated for rural water supply.

It is still crumbs for Sabah and Sarawak in Budget 2018 and largely ignored in terms of development. The Federal government has spent more than RM100 billion on the mass rapid transit in Kuala Lumpur and the Klang Valley. In comparison, a mere RM500 million is only allocated for rural roads in Sabah and Sarawak.

How would Sabahans feel when they remember that the sick had to be pulled by a buffalo-cart to seek medical treatment because there was no proper rural road?

Sabahans in Labuan are being lied again and again on the Labuan Bridge. The Bridge connecting the island to Sabah mainland was promised to be built in the BN Sabah Additional Manifesto in PRU-13. It is now down-graded to only a feasibility study which had already been done.

A caring Federal government would have allocated at least 50% of the development budget for 2018 to Sabah and Sarawak.

At this present rate of being ignored, Sabah and Sarawak will never catch up with development in Malaya, which was a very fundamental basis for Sabah and Sarawak to be induced to agree to form Malaysia.

Sabah was also promised security.   With the recurring security threats and in more recent times, reports of more IS militants from Sabah is a grave concern not only to Sabahans but to the ever-rising foreign tourists who come to visit and enjoy Sabah’s natural beauty, sun, sea, fresh air, pristine beaches and nature.

Yet, one wonders whether the allocation of RM250 million for ESSCOM is enough to protect Sabah?

Sabah is entitled to 40% of the total revenue derived from Sabah as well as other additional revenues under the Federal Constitution. Yet, there is nothing provided for the return of these revenues to Sabah or of the billions and billions of arrears owing since 1974.   Ironically, Sabah still owes the Federal government RM2.6 billion.

Yet, the Umno-led Sabah BN government has done practically little to ensure the Federal government comply with the constitutionally-provided revenues that Sabah are entitled.

Sabah is also entitled to the GST collected from Sabah. This is also not provided or at least some additional rebate or exemption would have helped Sabahans in their higher costs of living.

When the tourism tax was to be implemented, all sorts of promises were given for sharing of the tourism tax collected with Sabah and Sarawak. Promises of up to 50% were made but in Budget 2018, not even a single ringgit is mentioned.

The Federal/Malayan government and Kuala Lumpur/Putrajaya need no reminding of the rising unhappiness and frustrations in the Borneo States. They have to accept the rising frustrations and increasing awareness and to resolve them or accept the blame for the failure of Project Malaysia.

At the same time, Budget 2018 have given Sabahans and Sarawakians a further basis for them to seriously re-think of their and Sabah’s and Sarawak’s future.

Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan

– MAILBAG