SAPP to Sabah PH: Why the silence over Projek IC?

SAPP secretary-general Richard Yong says Sabah PKR leaders appear to be mute about 'Projek IC' ever since Dr Mahathir Mohamad became PH chairman.

SAPP secretary-general Richard Yong said it had become obvious to Sabahans that there was no difference between the political cultures of PH and BN.

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) secretary-general Richard Yong has questioned Sabah Pakatan Harapan leaders for their silence on “Projek IC” now that Dr Mahathir Mohamad is leading the opposition coalition.

“PKR had been harping on ‘Projek IC’, that has angered Sabahans, but has suddenly fallen silent on this issue with Dr Mahathir now in PH.

“Doesn’t this speak volumes?” he said in a statement today.

“Projek IC” is the name used to describe the alleged systematic granting of citizenship to immigrants (whether legal or otherwise) in Sabah by giving them identity cards.

“This is just another example of how Sabah leaders of Malayan parties are being bullied and domesticated,” Yong said when responding to Sabah PH chairman Christina Liew’s statement that local parties must work with their Malayan counterparts to ensure their success in the polls.

“We (Sabah PKR) have to work with a local party (Warisan) to ensure the success of the reform agenda in Sabah. Together, we are pushing for a change of government,” she was quoted as saying.

Yong said there is no difference between the two blocs of Malayan parties as both have a habit of bullying Sabah parties.

He believed this bullying continued to happen because Sabahans in Malayan parties allowed themselves to be subservient to their masters in Malaya.

Yong also said Gabungan Sabah, a four-party local coalition in which SAPP is a member, was focused on defeating Umno, not merely replacing Umno A with Umno B.

He said in Gabungan Sabah’s perception, there is no difference between the Mahathir-led Pakatan Harapan and the Najib-led Barisan Nasional.

“We don’t drink poison to quench our thirst,” he said.

Yong warned that Sabah’s interests would be “buried” if Sabah parties become subservient to Malayan parties such as BN or PH.

“The ‘Malay Supremacy’ philosophy prevails in all Malayan-based parties. Their so-called Sabah leaders have been tamed and domesticated.

“They have become subservient to their masters and that is why matters like candidates have to be referred to Malaya first.”

He said it had become obvious to Sabahans that there are no differences between the PH and BN political cultures.

“The bottom line is they are both Malayan-centric. Now with former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad leading PH, we can call each team Umno A or Umno B.”

Yong said even Malaysians from the peninsula, who are living in Sabah, had voiced their worries about Malayan parties and their divisive political culture.

“A few days ago, there were reports in the local media of those born in the peninsula, but living in Sabah, who had spoken out about how the true harmony among Sabah’s communities is under threat by these Malayan parties,” he said.

“Such divisive political culture causes racial polarisation in Malaya.

“As Sabahans, we must prevent this polarisation from taking hold in Sabah by rejecting Malayan parties,” Yong said. -FMT