SANDAKAN – Putrajaya is willing to go beyond its “compulsory” obligation to assist Sabah if the state government is aligned with the federal administration, said Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
“The federal government has to assist the state government regardless of the latter’s stance, as this is contained in the constitution.
“But that is ‘wajib’ (compulsory). What about what is ‘sunat’ (not compulsory)?
“If we (state and federal governments) have the best relationship, the same direction and the same ‘heart’, we (federal government) can help more than that (what is compulsory),” said the prime minister at an election campaign event in Kg Sim-Sim here yesterday.
Present were Bersatu vice-president Datuk Seri Dr Ronald Kiandee and MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong.
Rubbishing talk that his government has robbed Sabah of its natural resources, and caretaker chief minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal’s claim that Perikatan Nasional is oppressive, Muhyiddin said the pact, which wrested Putrajaya seven months ago, has Sabahans’ best interests at heart.
He pointed out the PN government’s solid handling of the Covid-19 pandemic and various types of assistance given to Sabahans during the movement control order (MCO).
Malaysia was losing RM24 billion a day due to business closures, he said, adding that the loss could be in the trillions if the coronavirus lockdown was extended.
In Kota Kinabalu, Muhyiddin again stressed the importance of strong federal-state relations, especially in view of the pandemic’s impact on the nation.
Under Shafie’s Parti Warisan Sabah administration, he said, the state economy had been shrinking for almost two years before Covid-19 hit, and the MCO only worsened things.
“What about the economy in Sabah? Before Covid-19, it was already shrinking. Last year, the gross domestic product stood at only 0.5%. I think today, it is already in the minus percentile. We are facing a serious situation,” he said at the Pentas Perdana Gabungan Rakyat Sabah event.
“It is not normal. This is unusual, unprecedented. And if it is not managed wisely and efficiently, our economy will not recover quickly. There are experts who say we can recover by 7% to 8% next year. We hope this will happen.
“As we are facing such a challenging time, it is important to have a strong leadership, a strong government; a government that cares and can wisely manage our economy, (so that) Sabah’s economy won’t fall and the rakyat’s burden will not be so heavy.
“It is important that the Sabah government be together with the federal government. It is obvious that Sabahans must vote for Gabungan Rakyat Sabah-PN.”
The Pagoh MP said he has instructed Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Alexander Nanta Linggi to look into the reasons for the high cost of living in Sabah and Sarawak, whether it is due to the cabotage policy, transport costs or profit-driven businesses.
He said food security will help in this regard.
“There’s still a lot of land in Sabah. The state is surrounded by bodies of water and has many jungles. If we have a food surplus, we can sell it to Hong Kong and others. What’s important is that Sabahans have reasonably priced food.
“I also understand that Sabah has infrastructure problems. The state can build its own roads, but it will not be able to build many. It will still require the federal government’s help.”
He added that there is a need to upgrade schools in interior areas, boost connectivity, address the issue of illegal immigrants and bolster the state’s security.
The Sabah elections will be held tomorrow, with more than 1.1 million people eligible to cast their ballots. – The Vibes, September 25, 2020
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