Ketua Kampong can't write his own name?

SIPITANG, Jun 23, 2012: Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) Deputy President, Haji Amde Sidik, said the trade-off between blind loyalty and quality showed Umno's inefficiency at kampong level.

"For example, the appointment of a village chief (Ketua Kampung) is based on controllable factors, meaning if he can be controlled by the political leaders then it will be safe to appoint him, yet everyone knows that the appointment is not based on capability," said Amde.

"Why Ketua Kampong could not fully participate in discussion in a kampong is because he is expected not to question the wisdom of the local YB, in other words, he the ketua kampong has to be on guard all the times.

"The other alarming sign emerges is that people are also desperate to receiving regular income, which also means our economic situation in kampong is equally as bad as anywhere.

Amde said that with this style of administration, quality of decision-making will surely be affected and every decision has to fit the YB's agenda.

"It won't matter even if an outsider can be appointed as the Kadayan's ketua kampung," Amde pointed when he was asked about his views during a visit to the meet the people in Kg. Kawang Lama Pantai about 7 km from Sipitang town.

"The worst of all is, the YB even preferred a Ketua Kampong who can't even write his own name, whilst, one or two incidents we came across ... the ketua kampongs only know how to sign their names at the very moment of their appointments. How on earth could they understand what good governance is all about?" Amde questioned.

Haji Amde Sidik is also SAPP Southern Zone Chairman and N28 Sindumin CLC chairman.

Attending at the function together with the kampong community were SAPP leaders, among them were N28 Sindumin CLC Deputy Chairman Kamis Daming and its Treasurer Sarudin Maidin.