Opposition but Federal Govt-friendly
Published on: Friday, March 06, 2020
By:
Larry Ralon, Vivian Lim
Shafie (front, centre) and other Sabah leaders at the press conference yesterday.
Kota Kinabalu: Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal said his Warisan-led State Government maintains its earlier stand of supporting former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, while continuing to collaborate with the Federal Government.“We have stated our stand…at the State-level we will continue to support Dr Mahathir. And for the interest of the people of Sabah, we will continue our collaboration with whichever Federal Government there is.
ADVERTISEMENT
“I had called several Federal officers for us to continue to develop and assist the people. We will continue with the G-2-G (government to government) collaboration, while on the political collaboration it is obvious we always give our support to Dr Mahathir,” the Parti Warisan Sabah (Warisan) President said after chairing a meeting with state government elected representatives at the State Administrative Centre, Thursday.
Forty-two assembly members and 14 Members of Parliament from Warisan, Upko, DAP and PKR were present. Only Bugaya Assemblywoman (Warisan) Datin Manis Muka Mohd Dara, Putatan MP (PKR) Awang Husaini Sahari and Ranau MP (PKR) Jonathan Yasin were absent.
Asked how the State Government would manage Sabah without financial assistance from Federal, Mohd Shafie who is also State Finance Minister said well, if Kelantan (state government) was able to manage the state despite in opposition for decades, there is no reason for Sabah not to.
“We are in the midst of negotiating with the Federal Government but it (Federal Government) is not yet perfectly formed. We still don’t know who will look after the oil, who will look after the housing, who will look after the education, it is still not decided.
ADVERTISEMENT
“Even so, we already have the agenda for claiming the rights of Sabah. Maybe we will look from the perspective of Sarawak, when Sarawak had no political affiliation with the Federal Government but they in Sarawak were also present at the meeting of the Menteri Besars and also in the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) negotiation.
“We are the opposition, but we need to think from the perspective of Malaysia, where the country is not formed just in the peninsular but also involved Sabah and Sarawak.
ADVERTISEMENT
“There is a need for negotiation on the rights promised to us, which we should fulfil...there are among them who had even promised that when they become the Government they will implement it 102 per cent.
“So we will continue with the MA63 and oil royalty negotiation. There is no finality on that matter.
“We know that the negotiation not only involved the Federal Government, but also bodies like Petronas and so on, which I regularly had discussions with to fine-tune several approaches so the wealth that we have in Sabah will not only go to Sabah but the people of Sabah.
“It is not that we don’t want to share this wealth, as we are sharing it with the whole of Malaysia, but it is things which we had promised in the last manifesto and this is the agreement we are claiming. This is what we are hoping to do when the time comes for the negotiations to continue on, be it for the MA63 or the oil royalty.
When told that in Kelantan, the oil royalty payment is channelled through the Federal Development Department there, Mohd Shafie said that is different.
“Since previously, at the Sabah state-level, it (oil royalty) was channelled directly to the State Government. It was the same when Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) was the state government and before that. It is very clearly stated in the MA63 and Petroleum Development Act 1974, that cash payment is there.
“I am confident that it can be implemented. Muhyiddin is my old friend. He knows my stand. I had informed Tan Sri I will support Dr Mahathir,” he said.
WATCH SHAFIE EXPRESSING SUPPORT TO MAHATHIR, THEN STORY CONTINUES
On him captured on video appearing at Muhyiddin’s home, Mohd Shafie said that was before the voting, because Tun (Dr Mahathir) was still in their coalition.
“I had stated at the early stage that I will refer to the Warisan Supreme Council and see if there is an endorsement from Dr Mahathir or not before we make any stand,” he said.
Asked on how Muhyiddin would have felt, Mohd Shafie said, “I suppose he knows me well. There must be some clarity among us as politicians.
“As part of our political values, we need to focus our time to develop our country, developing Sabah. Our interests are Sabah and the people of Sabah. We cannot be bogged down with too much politicking as is happening in the peninsula, until it brings to halt the progress and future of Sabah and its people.
“I have to focus. I am confident they will understand, not misunderstand. I got nothing personal against him, he is a nice friend of mine,” he said.
On rumours about Umno trying to buy elected representatives to overturn the State Government, Mohd Shafie said they do not know who will want (to be bought over) but they will not force anyone to stay if they don’t want to.
“I think it is time for us to change the political culture in the State. We must show what is the right values for us as a politician and leader, for protecting the interests of the country and the people,” he said.
When pressed if he is certain that none of his Cabinet members will defect, he said it is up to them but they have voiced out to him and he could not control all of them the whole time.
On the delayed Parliament sitting on May 18 this year and which provide ample time for defection to take place among the elected representatives, Mohd Shafie said well, if everyone has a clarity in their mind or life it would be easier for them to make their decision.
“But if we don’t have a clarity in the values we are practising, then we will be in a shaky position and can easily change after just watching a video or reading the news ...so it is about what is it in our mind, in our heart, what we want actually.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
Daily Express Malaysia
.jpg)
.jpg)
