NO NEED TO INVOLVE GOVT IN HARRIS-JEFFREY DEBATE — DOMPOK

No need to involve govt in Harris-Jeffrey debate — Dompok

KOTA KINABALU May 29, 2012: State Reform Party (Star) Sabah chairman Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan can carry on with his debate against former chief minister Tan Sri Harris Salleh without having the government involved, said United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation (Upko).

Its president, Tan Sri Bernard Dompok, said the debate did not require any participation from the State nor the Federal Government in order to happen.

Moreover, he said Barisan Nasional could not appoint any individual who is not a member of the government to speak on the government’s behalf.

“For the debate to take place, they do not need participation from any organization. They want to debate on their own opinions on issues in Malaysia, therefore it does not warrant any participation by the government,” he said.

Dompok, who is also Penampang member of parliament and Minister of Plantation Industries and Commodities, said it was unnecessary to even link the debate with the government as whatever is going to be said by either speakers represent only their personal views.

“I do not think that they should even mix it up with the government. Two individuals can debate under the tree for all I care,” he said when met at the official launching of Sabah Monfort Charity Golf Tournament here yesterday.

He was asked to comment whether the state and federal governments should consider appointing Harris as its official representative in debating against the opposition leader.

Harris last week offered himself for a public debate with Jeffrey on the latter’s recent claim that Sabah is being colonised by Kuala Lumpur.

Harris said he opted to offer himself as it was unlikely that Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman will have the time to take up Jeffrey’s recent challenge for a debate on the issue.

Jeffrey in his response had said that he was willing to accept the former chief minister’s offer but only if the latter is “formally appointed” by the federal and state governments to represent their viewpoints. He also wanted the debate to be opened to the international media.

Meanwhile, on separate question, Dompok said Malaysia should take into account the conditions highlighted under the 20 Points document when introducing or implementing any policies.

The 20 Points, he said, was a reference for the formation of Malaysia, although some of the points were not actually enshrined into the Constitution.

“The fact is that the 20 Points is a reminder that this nation was formed with a lot of discretion, a lot of misgivings from what would be the outcome in the future, whether the rights (of the State) will be protected, so that’s how the 20 Points came about.

“We will certainly be very concerned if the spirit of the formation of Malaysia is not adhered to,” he said, adding the spirit of 20 Points will continue to live on.

He was asked to comment on State Assembly Speaker Datuk Seri Salleh Tun Said’s remarks last week that the 20 Points agreement on Sabah’s safeguards for agreeing to Malaysia’s formation is no longer valid, because it is already part of the Malaysian Constitution.

Salleh was reported as saying that BN Sabah needed to convince the young that such agreement no longer exist in order to prevent the opposition from continuing to use the issue to garner support from the people, especially through the online media.

The Sabah Umno deputy chief said the State must raise a clear understanding on the 20 Points to stop the opposition from misleading the younger generation to believe their lies that the leaders here were merely tools of the federal government.

This, he added, would prevent the opposition from portraying themselves as the heroes by harping on the agreement that does not even exist any more.