Back me up in Dewan Rakyat, Bung tells Sabah MPs

 

Sabah deputy chief minister Bung Moktar Radin at the GRS backbenchers’ club retreat in Kudat last night.

KOTA KINABALU: Deputy chief minister Bung Moktar Radin said he felt slighted by the lack of support from Sabah MPs whenever he raised issues on underdevelopment and state rights in the Dewan Rakyat.

Bung, who is also Kinabatangan MP, admitted that Sabah lagged in terms of infrastructure development, health facilities and education, among others.

“This is why, in Parliament, I constantly raise issues that affect Sabahans so that the federal government can take the necessary action.

“But I am terkilan (aggrieved) that for every issue I bring up involving the interest of Sabahans, it is very rare that I get the support of Sabah’s elected representatives,” he said during a Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) backbenchers’ club retreat in the Kudat district last night.

“This gives the impression that we are not united in our fight for the rights and interests of people in the state.”

Also present was GRS backbenchers’ club chairman Salleh Said Keruak.

In his speech, Bung urged every GRS assemblyman to take part in the debate sessions in the state assembly.

He said they should not restrict themselves to issues from their constituencies but also matters which were relevant to the people in general.

On GRS, Bung was confident the ruling state coalition would remain intact if its parties worked as a team.

He said although the present Sabah government was seen as a loose coalition of nine political parties, there was no reason why the pact would not last if its members, including elected representatives, cooperated with each other.

“The people have high hopes for the government of the day. We should put aside our differences for the sake of the people’s prosperity and welfare,” he said. - FMT