SAPP becoming threat to PKR?

(The Daily Express) - Opposition Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) is concerned over the possibility of its leaders here ditching the party to join the Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP).

In response, Vice-President Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan appealed to the party members here that both PKR and the SAPP - which has pulled out of the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition - have a similar mission and vision.

Rumours of disunity among State PKR leaders are said to be behind the leaders and members in Tenom wanting to leave.

It was reported that SAPP President Datuk Yong Teck Lee is due to officiate at a ceremony to welcome the PKR members at a hotel here.

However, Jeffrey said the "splinters" must think of the foundation of their struggle for the people over the long term.

He said party leaders and members are aware that the State Liaison Committee would be restructured soon.

Lawyer Ansari Abdullah had relinquished his State PKR chief position and the party headquarters had yet to name a replacement.

There is speculation that Ansari's move is due to Jeffrey's supporters wanting him (Dr Jeffrey) to contest in a possible parliamentary by-poll following the Election Court's nullification of PBRS' Tan Sri Joseph Kurup's canididacy.

Ansari is believed to favour Anthony Andipai for the candidacy if a by-poll is held.

However, it is also believed that the PKR leaders here are in favour of SAPP because it is a Sabah-based party and because PKR does not have an office here.

According to Dr Jeffrey, the soon-to-be appointed State PKR Chairman is being scrutinised on his suitability and that should everything else fail, the second choice would be the national PKR adviser.

Dr Jeffrey said cooperation between the two entities must be forged and strengthened to achieve the Pakatan Rakyat mission of change in Sabah.

He urged the PKR leaders here not to be hasty in deciding to leave the party.

"The party still needs the commitment of the leaders, irrespective of levels, to attain the objective of the people's struggles in Sabah as enshrined in the Tambunan Declaration," he said.

He was commenting on a report that several PKR leaders and members in Tenom are contemplating quitting the party to join SAPP.

He said patience and loyalty in a struggle are among the tests that the leaders must go through in order to accomplish their mission which is to uphold justice and defend the rights of the people.

Jeffrey said the political scenario in the country has changed from the situation in the 1960s and 1970s where the focus was more towards the State's internal affairs.

"That struggle did not last long because it was too narrow where all the problems raised by the rakyat never reached national level to be debated," he said.

"I will be calling Tenom PKR divisional chief Jimmy Jawatah to get his explanation before settling the problem," he said.

SAPP: Gas pipeline, Sabah loses out badly again

Kota Kinabalu, November 10, 2008(Monday): Once again the interests of Sabah have succumbed to the vested interests of federal bodies like Petronas. Once again, our political leadership has failed Sabah.

The failed appeal of UPKO to scrap the Petronas 500 km, RM 3 billion gas pipeline from Kimanis to Bintulu was not a complete surprise. SAPP reiterates that the grossly unequal and unfair equation of federal-state power has worked against a divided State like Sabah. It is common knowledge that if UPKO were to carry out its threat to leave the BN, as reported in some papers, then UMNO and BN can rely on PBS to fill in the void left by UPKO. It is not a coincidence that the Prime Minister had chosen to announce the decision to go ahead with the gas pipeline at the PBS Congress in Kota Kinabalu, while at the same time, praising PBS and its leaders. This is divide and rule in a glaring public display.

None of the Sabah leaders seem to support Tan Sri Bernard Dompok’s quest to hold the Prime Minister to his word last May to scrap the pipeline. Neither the (UPKO) State Minister of Industrial Development, Datuk Ewon Ebin, nor the Federal Deputy Minister of Industry who is also LDP President Datuk Liew Vui Keong, spoke out against the pipeline. None of the UMNO leaders at the State and Federal levels seem concerned that Sabah will suffer serious energy shortages in the next few years. For Sabah, which is dominated by UMNO, to lose out to Pertonas’s investments in Sarawak, which has no UMNO at all, is a betrayal of the early pledge of UMNO to uplift Sabah in comparison to other States.

This is the sad state that Sabah is in today to the extent that our government now even pretends to be happy that “surplus” gas will be used to build a full fledged oil and gas industry in Sabah. How can Sabahans have fallen to such a dismal state that even our government leaders have come to expect the people to believe such nonsense? Both the UPKO President and his party youth leader had earlier made brave statements giving high hopes to the people that they will fight to the end. Now, it seems, they are contented to eat the humble pie.

Tan Sri Bernard’s announcement that “the federal cabinet has now agreed to create a full-fledged petrochemical industry in Sabah using oil and gas in Sabah” was also immediately contradicted by another Minister (of Plantation and Commodities) Datuk Peter Chin Fah Kui who stated that “Petronas should look into Sabah’s gas reqirements”. This vague, non-committal comment from Datuk Peter Chin sounds like Petronas has no idea about Sabah’s energy needs.

Those gas and oil belong to Sabah, not anybody else. Petronas only has a right to extract the oil and gas. If we cannot use it, then do not exploit it. Leave it there for future generations. The State Government can consider stopping the gas pipeline by using its powers under the land laws, which is a State matter under the Federal Constitution, to stop the access and transit of the pipeline.

Until such time that the Sabah’s oil and gas industry has reached a full fledged capacity, and IF there is a surplus of gas, then we allow the construction of the pipeline. At the absolute minimum, the Government must ensure that a sufficient gas power plant is built in Kimanis for the energy needs of Sabah before the construction of the gas pipeline is allowed. The Government must explain intelligently with facts and figure to show whether there will be a surplus of gas. There are not one, but three Liquefied natural Gas (LNG) plants in Bintulu with a combined capacity of 23 million tones per annum (mtpa), the single biggest LNG production facility in the whole world. And, according to reliable sources, the LNG facility in Bintulu will be expanded to take in the gas from Sabah. Are Sabahans therefore to expect that there will be any surplus of gas for Sabah?

It seems that the impending energy crisis in Sandakan has been forgotten in the decision making on the gas pipeline. Neither has any relevant minister for industry or energy or natural resource bothered to explain to the people on the gas pipeline and our energy policy. This is the type of arrogance of power by the BN leadership that will finally bring about the downfall of the BN government.

Datuk Yong Teck Lee
President

Oil royalty: SAPP not giving up

Kota Kinabalu: The Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) is not giving up its struggle for more oil royalty payment for Sabah even though the State Government stated it is not pursuing the matter since the Petroleum Development Agreement is not revisable.

"This is not the end of the story, we will continue to fight for it," said President Datuk Seri Yong Teck Lee commenting on Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman's explanation during the recent Budget sitting that there is no provision in the agreement to review the five per cent oil royalty.

SAPP Luyang Assemblywoman, Melanie Chia and Sepanggar MP Datuk Eric Majimbun, had both raised the issue at the State Assembly and Parliament, respectively.

"Even the country's Constitution can be amended (so) why can't it be the same for the Petroleum Development Agreement?," said Yong, adding that even if it is stated that the agreement is not revisable, it is not final so long as both the Federal and State governments mutually agree to review.

"We will not be surprised if Kuala Lumpur declines to review because they are taking our resources but it is a surprise that our State Government is also reluctant to call for the review," he said.

Speaking to reporters after the soft opening of the SAPP Putatan Maju Centre near here, Saturday, Yong asked if it was wrong for Sabah and Sarawak to request for a revision on such a lop-sided agreement.

According to him, Parti Keadilan Rakyat de-facto leader, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim also shared similar sentiment on this issue with SAPP.

"This morning (Saturday) we (SAPP leaders) had breakfast with him, to get to know each other and discuss several issues like the economic situation and the review of the petroleum agreement.

"Anwar's stand and (that of the) SAPP is the same on this issue," he said.

Asked if there was any official invitation from Pakatan Rakyat for SAPP to join them, he said there was none.

"But the components in the Pakatan Rakyat understand our position," he said, adding that SAPP is also not answerable to Pakatan Rakyat, especially in the context of its eight-point agenda, one of which is State autonomy.

"The question of whether Pakatan Rakyat agrees with SAPP or not, is not the issue because that is what we call State autonomy.

"We don't have to get permission from anyone outside Sabah to get autonomy," he said, when asked if he had spoken to Anwar about State autonomy.

Nonetheless, SAPP would be constructive and innovative in its relationship with PKR without compromising its autonomy, he said.

"Whether we will be opposing or supporting each other (in the election) our basis is in the eight-point agenda and one of them is State autonomy. So we cannot do anything that compromises our autonomy."

Earlier, Yong said the opening of the SAPP Putatan Centre at the former Sabah Barisan Nasional (BN) headquarters in Putatan Square is a symbolic start for SAPP's struggle.

"I feel proud that SAPP now has gained a foothold in Putatan. As the first step to fight for the rights of Sabah we take over the State BN's office. Our re-branding process that started in October is beginning to show results.

"This is just the beginning (and) there are more great things to come," he said.

He added that so far the party had lost less than 200 members, including one in Tanjung Papat when Datuk Raymond Tan submitted his official resignation letter, but in the past few weeks SAPP had gained more than 1,200 new members.

He also disclosed that SAPP had approved the membership of academician and columnist, Haji Amde Sidek, who is also in the party's think-tank board.

Yong also commended the new members in Putatan led by Dullie Haji Marie, the former Political Secretary to then Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia, for joining the party.

"It is very rare that a ruling coalition party component will leave the government of the day and fight for the opposition. It is even rarer that new members join this party knowing very well that the next elections is still a long way to go," he said.

Later, Yong together with SAPP Supreme Council members witnessed the planting of the SAPP flag at the centre by party adviser, Datuk Haji Murshidi Nambi. He also received 612 membership applications from the 10 SAPP branches in Putatan.

(As reported in Daily Express on Nov 23, 2008)

SAPP won't rejoin BN even if PM steps down

Kota Kinabalu: The Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) will not return to the Barisan Nasional (BN) fold even if Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi were to announce the leadership transition today (Wednesday), said its President Datuk Yong Teck Lee.

He said SAPP pulled out from the BN coalition on Sept 17 because of their struggle in wanting to see a lasting solution to the problems affecting the people in Sabah.

"It is not a personal issue that if Pak Lah were to leave...we (SAPP) will be back in BN. We are looking at issues at large, and not necessarily just the Prime Minister of the day," he told reporters here, Tuesday.

Asked on Abdullah's likely announcement today (Wednes-day), Yong said his guess was that the Prime Minister would not announce the leadership transition.

"The reasons being that he has the majority support of Umno members and the people of Malaysia who have voted for BN and he has a comfortable majority in Parliament," he said.

On a different note, Yong said as of Tuesday, Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Raymond Tan Shu Kiah, who has declared himself a 'Barisan independent' after SAPP pulled out of BN, had yet to submit his resignation letter as a member of SAPP.

- Daily Express, Sabah