BN will pay heavily for its broken promises

Kota Kinabalu (Feb 3, 2009): Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) president, Datuk Yong Teck Lee in responding to the press reports today when the Chief Minister brushed aside SAPP's calls for the Federal Government to fulfill its promise of a special grant of RM 1 billion for Sabah, reminded the Sabah State BN and its leaders that the RM 1 billion special grant was one of several promises made last year by the Prime Minister who declared that BN would not forget Sabah people's support.

Yong listed the promises of the Prime Minister announced in Kota Kinabalu on May 31 last year were:

1. Replacement of JPPS (Federal Department of Development Sabah) under the Prime Minister's Department by newly re-created Sabah Development Office (SDO) under the Sabah Chief Minister's Department,

2. Formation of a high-powered committee headed by the Deputy Prime Minster to resolve the illegal immigrant problems in Sabah; with members of the committee coming from Sabah,

3. Special Grant of an additional Ringgit 1 billion for Sabah,

4. Additional RM 1 million each to all of the 25 parliamentary constituencies,

5. Additional RM 400,000 to each of the 60 state assembly constituencies.

6. Cancellation of the Kimanis – Bintulu gas pipeline,

7. Development of a petro-chemical industry under a Petroleum Down stream Development Master Plan, and

8. A new 300MW natural gas power plant in the Sabah Oil and Gas Terminal in Kimanis.

"On the issue of the missing Ringgit 1 billion, SAPP's latest statements have been based on the facts made available to the public by Federal Minister Tan Sri Bernanrd Dompok, Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Joseph Pairin Kitingan, the Sabah State Secretary and now, the Chief Minister himself.

"Both Tan Sri Bernard and Datuk Joseph Pairin Kitingan had earlier confirmed that the Ringgit 1 billion has not been disbursed to Sabah." added Yong.

"The State Secretary later clarified that RM 1 billion has been placed under the Implementation Co-ordination Unit (ICU) of the Prime Minister's Department; and that RM 200 million has been allocated to the Sabah Development Office. A further RM 2.1 million was spent on MPs and Assemblymen as development funds.

"Today, the CM disclosed that another RM 250 million will be channeled to the State Finance Ministry, adding that the fund will be utilised in the next two years. This means that the State Government has given up on receiving the special grant of RM 1 billion before this Prime Minister retires next month. He also said that the balance of the RM 1 billion will be given to the State Government upon request.

Yong further added that SAPP now echoes the questions of the people of Sabah as follows:

1. When will the State Government request the balance of the RM 1 billion? Why is the delay? Why is the RM 250 million to be channeled to the State Finance Ministry not shown in the State Budget for 2009?

2. Can the government confirm once and for all that the RM 1 billion special grant is truly an additional allocation; and that this RM 1 billion is not part of other 9th Malaysia Plan and annual budgetary allocations? Can the government make sure that normal federal contributions under Schedule 10 of the Federal Constitution such as the Capitation Grant (Geran Mengikut Kiraan Kepala), Grants to replace Import/Excise Duty on Petroleum and other regular grants will not be disguised as part of the RM 1 billion?

3. Is the SDO now a State Department under the Chief Minster's department or a federal department under the Prime Minister?

4. The PM's promise of RM 1 million development funds for each of the 25 MPs and RM 400,000 for each 60 ADUNs amounts to a total of RM 49 million. Even if the non-BN YBs (6 from SAPP, 2 from DAP) are excluded, the allocation to BN YBs should be RM 44.8 million. How is it that only RM 2.1 million was spent by MPs and ADUNs as announced by the State Secretary on January 31?

5. Concerning the Sabah Oil and gas Terminal, the only active development going on now at Kimanis is the construction of the multi-billion ringgit gas pipeline which will divert Sabah's natural gas to the world's largest Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) complex owned by Petronas in Bintulu, leaving an uncertain quantity of gas for Sabah's own use. How will Sabah benefit from our own natural gas?

6. The promise of a high-powered committee on illegal immigrants remains empty. Who are the members of the committee? How many times have it met? What were the decisions and results?

"These broken promises will spell the end of the BN in coming elections. BN will pay a heavy price and lose its 50-year grip on power. SAPP calls on the BN MPs, Assemblymen and component party leaders to be brave and honest and speak up for Sabah and the people." said Yong.