KOTA MARUDU: Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili's leadership is still very much needed, especially in raising Sabah's needs at the federal level.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor said Ongkili, who is Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) president and the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) candidate for Kota Marudu, has been consistent and vociferous in fighting for Sabah rights.
"I need Ongkili to assist in voicing out Sabah's demands to the federal government. His strong voice and persistence is still very much needed, particularly in demanding for our rights in the 1963 Malaysia Agreement (MA63)," he said when speaking at the residence of Sabah Bersatu deputy secretary-general Datuk Maijol Mahap in Kampung Kokobuan here today.
Hajiji also described PBS' decision to use the GRS symbol this time around as a huge sacrifice.
"This means a lot to me… that is why I want the people in Kota Marudu to vote for Ongkili," he said.
GRS, which consists of Bersatu, PBS, Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (Star), Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) and United Sabah National Organisation (Usno), together with Barisan Nasional (BN), has pledged to do its level best to continue bringing development to Sabah, he said.
"We want a stable and strong state government," he said, adding it did want things to be like the previous state government led by Warisan.
He said the Warisan-led state government only lasted two years because it did not have "blessings" from the people.
He also took a swipe at Warisan president Datuk Shafie Apdal, who failed to do anything for Kota Marudu during his two-year stint as chief minister and prior to that when he was the federal rural development minister.
"He talks like he knows everything, but what did he do for Kota Marudu when he was the chief minister? Not even a public toilet.
"He asked me what have I done? I want to ask him in return what has he done in Semporna? He could not even handle the houses razed in Kampung Bangau-Bangau, Semporna.
"Only (when the) GRS-BN government (took over) was RM8.5 million allocated for that settlement," said Hajiji.
The chief minister urged Shafie to tell the truth regarding the matter.
Later, when commenting on the GRS-BN pact's campaign trail in Kampung Kirangawan here, Hajiji urged voters to be rational when casting their ballots on Saturday.
He also said voters should be wary when listening to the speeches made by the opposition during campaigning.
He assured voters that the GRS-BN state government will continue to implement development plans guided by the Hala Tuju Sabah Maju Jaya plan.
"We do not need anymore political bickering. We want to develop Sabah. It is time for us to unite under one umbrella that is GRS," he said.
Hajiji also received more than 300 new membership application forms from former members of the Kota Marudu Parti Kesejahteraan Demokratik Masyarakat (KDM) from Kampung Kokobuan and Kirangawan.
Also present were Usno president Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia and Bersatu Kota Marudu division leaders.