PBS sideshows lack substance

Kota Kinabalu, Aug 19, 2010: Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) Youth Leader, Edward Dagul, advised PBS leaders to refrain from voicing out statements which the public of Sabah generally finds to be theatrical and lacking in substance.

"It was reported that at the PBS Kadamaian AGM, Datuk Henrynus Amin, PBS Secretary General, has again reminded, lest we forget, of how the illegal immigrants issue is top of PBS list of political priorities.

"The people of Sabah remember when the illegal immigrants had become the main issue for PBS since when they were in the opposition. Datuk Yee Moh Chai, Datuk Radin Malleh, Dr Chong Eng Leong and other PBS leaders had taken the illegal immigrants issue as their political "raison d'etre" to fight BN and UMNO, to the extent of calling for a Royal Commission. They had accused that BN/ UMNO had used these illegal immigrants as phantom voters to win elections.

"However, when PBS returned to BN, Datuk Yee, Radin and others have mysteriously decided to keep mum on the issue as if it (the issue) no longer existed. On the other hand, much to PBS's chagrin, Dr Chong Eng Leong continued to harp on the issue, only to be later given a stern warning by Datuk Johnny Mositun, PBS information Chief. This led to Dr Chong quitting PBS because PBS's inconsistencies.

"Now, PBS is again heralding to champion the issue. This hot and cold treatment of the issue by leaders of PBS is ample prove that they are not serious in ridding Sabah of this problem. When it suits them, these same leaders will dangle it to UMNO's face till it gets what it wants. In this particular case, Henrynus wanted UMNO "as a close friend of PBS" to consider "power sharing within the BN coalition, equal access to economic opportunities and so on".

"This open request for sharing the spoils and loot after a battle may be the norm for PBS, but to shamelessly say it smacks short of snubbing the rakyat of its intention. The people of Kadamaian still have other more pressing matters to settle such as the controversial Tambatuon Dam. Will PBS fight for the rights of the Kadamaian folks in ensuring that this monstrosity of a dam is cancelled? This would have augered well for the Kadamaian constituents, instead of clamouring for positions in the government and begging for slices of the economic cake.

"One of the main reasons given why PBS returned to the BN folds was because of PBS's total confidence that this illegal immigrants issue can only be solved by BN. However, it is sad to note that despite PBS's 8 years of renewed loyalty to BN, not only is this perennial problem still around but, as announced recently by the Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, Datuk Seri Idrus Jala, it does not even figure highly in the order of priorities of urgent matters to be resolved by the Federal government.

"What are the Federal Ministers from Sabah doing in Cabinet? What can one say if they cannot convince the Federal Cabinet that this issue is a national issue, i.e. the "mother of all threats" and should have been included in NKRA in the first place? Datuk Henrynus should ask his Deputy President who is a Federal Minister and other Ministers from Sabah to own up and take full responsibility for the non-inclusion of this issue in NKRA. They are there on Sabah quota and Sabahan interest should never be far from their hearts and minds," asked Edward...more on PBS' theatre of the absurd