PKR TELLS WHY IT IS CONFIDENT THIS TIME

PKR tells why it is confident this time

Kota Kinabalu: Sabah Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) firmly believes that the agenda for change this time around will become a reality "because of the misdeeds by Umno-BN".

Organising chairman of PKR Kota Kinabalu CNY Open House at SM Kian Kok on Tuesday, Dr CY Vun, claimed that the performance of the Umno-BN government was getting serious and that there was a lot of mismanagement.

"So, we believe that the agenda for change this time around is here to become a reality because of the long list of misdeed by the present State Government," he said.

Citing the unjustified award of business monopoly such as road maintenance in Sabah, he said there were only two contractors carrying out road maintenance throughout Sabah and that they were getting contracts worth about RM300 million a year.

He said this alone deprived about 300 contractors of opportunities for government-funded projects.

As a result many BX, C, D, E licence holders and workers with technical-skill have become jobless, he said.

He said an elected government is given only a five-year term and that after the period is over, it has to seek re-election.

"But why were these super contractors given a concession of 15 years to carry out road maintenance project by the Sabah BN government?

Who is behind the two concession contractors?" he asked.

Citing another case, he said the Land and Survey Director recently announced that after June Sedco be given the sole right to extract sand throughout Sabah.

"If this monopoly were to be carried out, there will be many people losing business and as a result many would also lose their jobs," he predicted.

The Chief Minister as the Chief Executive of the State Government administration, Dr Vun said, ought to know the Rules of limitation of Power especially in the planning of micro-economics of fund for development.

The director, he said, should apply extra care in monetary control because the fund or money used for the development or projects belonged to Sabahans and not monopoly by KLSE public listed company.

To this, he said that in Pakatan Rakyat, they all share a common goal and that is to put the socio-economic situation in order so as to overcome adverse environmental issues and unsound political development.

"It is our wish, the people of Sabah, to be able to enjoy maximum benefit from the government and not getting bothered by the illegal immigrants who could become citizens in just a short period.

"Or to benefit only a few cronies of the top leaders of the present BN government which is now in the disguise of 1Malaysia slogan," he said.

Dr Vun said the Barisan Nasional didn't even come close to offer solutions to the long list of problems that have affected the people.

In fact, he claimed there have been increasing dissatisfaction with regards to the government's approach of handling the country's economic welfare, ridding of mismanagement, injustice, corrupt practice and issuance of identity cards to illegal immigrants that caused bitter feelings among the local communities.

The sudden explosion in the state's population and tremendous increase in number of voters have posed dissatisfaction among the people of Sabah, he said.

Current and alternative media, he said, have been publishing reports of illegal immigrants holding new Mykad and given better privileges compared to local Chinese, Sino and Indian because they have gained Bumiputera status overnight.

He said Sabah BN government is silent on the immigrants matter.

"Illegal immigrants who have been given the Mykad are enjoying the benefits of Malaysian education facilities, medical, occupying government land and conducting businesses.

"Many of these illegal immigrants are also selling contraband on the streets, which are incurring huge losses to the Government to the tune of millions of ringgit annually in tax."

Dr Vun claimed that the BN needs these "overnight citizens" to enable them to maintain the Sabah BN "Fixed Deposit" tag.

"We did not have this problem 30 or 40 years ago because the political power could be balanced by the KDMs and the Chinese"s.

He alleged the BN government used the illegal immigrants to outnumber the locals without considering the adverse effect on the future of the locals and economy of the state.

He said they looked forward to the time when Pakatan Rakyat become the government, during which the agenda for change becomes a reality.

The agenda for change, he said incorporates various interests for the people of Sabah such as the 20 per cent oil royalty payment for the state.

He said this would certainly provide more funds for more infrastructure development for Sabah while at the same time bring benefit in terms of economy for the people.

"There are many things that should not go the way they are and the people, especially those in the rural areas, are still victims of widespread injustice.

"The people are frustrated and yet helplessÉbut the time has come for us to unite to regain our rights and privileges as rightful citizens," he said.

In this respect, he called on the people to give full support to Pakatan de facto leader, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to ensure the agenda for change is a success.

Dr Vun said this is possible by denying BN the mandate to return to power by giving the votes to Pakatan Rakyat.

He said that it is high time more infrastructure is built such as roads including more highways to support better and effective public transport.

"If Pakatan Rakyat comes to power, I am very sure that we will receive the 20 per cent oil royaltyÉonly then we would be able to see better progress and development throughout Sabah," he said.

He said when the day comes, the people would be seeing many things put in order including riddance of business monopoly that benefit only a few cronies of top leaders of the BN government.