KOTA KINABALU: Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Pairin Kitingan has taken umbrage with Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad over the latter’s statement that Sabah and Sarawak could progress at a faster rate if its leaders were “less greedy”.
He said it was “extremely ironic” that Dr Mahathir should say so when the two states had lagged behind during the 22 years the former prime minister was the nation’s leader.
He said, since the 93-year-old Pakatan Harapan chairman left office, Sabah and Sarawak had progressed by leaps and bounds.
The Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) president also took Dr Mahathir to task for his comments about administrative issues and that if the federal and state governments were concerned, they would upgrade the infrastructure of both the states.
“Has he not heard of the Pan Borneo Highway?”
Pairin said the Sabah stretch of the highway alone would cost almost RM13 billion, covering a distance of 730km from Sindumin all the way to Tawau.
“What did Dr Mahathir give us when he was prime minister? Pittance compared to what we are getting now. He is in no position to talk about giving us better infrastructure. As prime minister of 22 years, he did not do it. He is going to start giving at 93?
“As we near the halfway mark of the 11th Malaysia Plan (11MP), nearly RM15 billion has been allocated for Sabah by the federal government, and this year alone the sum stands at RM3.87 billion,” he said.
To compare, said Pairin, under the 7MP (1996-2000) when Dr Mahathir was prime minister, RM6.93 billion was allocated, under the 8MP (RM13.2 billion), 9MP (RM17.7 billion) and 10MP (RM21.96 billion).
Understandably, these are electoral promises from Dr Mahathir, now that the 14th general election is near, but it begs the question of his sincerity as these were pledges he failed to deliver in the 22 years he served as prime minister.
“Was Mahathir ever concerned about the rural people of Sabah and Sarawak? To demonstrate the contrasting promise and actual delivery, the Rural Development Ministry was allocated with a sum of RM107.8 million under the 7MP from 1996 to 2000 and RM1.42 billion under the 8MP.
“Under the present administration led by Datuk Seri Najib Razak, RM10.2 billion was allocated between 2011 and this year under the 10th and 11th MP.”
Pairin stressed that there had also been greater empowerment to local civil servants of the two states, now that eroded rights sealed in the Malaysia Agreement 1963 were returned, something that was ignored during Mahathir’s tenure.
Najib, said Pairin, was the only leader who understood and recognised the sentiments of the people over the rights enshrined in MA63, so much so that he even agreed to the formation of the National Steering Committee meeting on the Devolution of Powers to Sabah and Sarawak that is co-chaired by Datuk Seri Anifah Aman and Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri.
The prime minister had even openly declared and assured any rights that were either deliberately or inadvertently taken from Sabah and Sarawak will be duly restored and returned, said Pairin.
“(One of Najib’s) first deeds when he took over as prime minister in 2009 was to declare Malaysia Day a national public holiday, giving due recognition to the formation of Malaysia on Sept 16 in 1963. It also gave the people of Sabah and Sarawak a stronger sense of belonging to the nation.
“It was also Najib who was bold enough to call for a Royal Commission of Inquiry on Immigrants in Sabah which resulted in a damning report about Project IC and the many other alleged misdeeds of the past administration under Dr Mahathir.
“Dr Mahathir had also played the musical chair-like Chief Minister’s Rotation System to suit his fancy and tune when he was the prime minister. Is that the trait of a leader who is concerned about the people of Sabah and the desire for more progress?”