Sabah well represented in KL – Harris

1

KOTA KINABALU: Former chief minister Tan Sri Harris Mohd Salleh said he is prepared to debate with anyone including Federal Ministers on the issue of the 20 Points and its legality, literal and spiritual validity.

He said time and again, the issue is being raised by Sabah leaders from both the government and the opposition but “none of the contents of these leaders’ statements can be considered as real and hard facts, some of which are being twisted and manipulated.”

“While it does no harm to the Federation and the State, and will not affect the administration of the Federal and State Governments, the most important danger is that the perception of the people.

“The majority of the rural people strongly feel that they are poor because the Federal Government took away the 20 Points,” said Harris in a statement yesterday, when commenting on the various statements regarding the matter by several former politicians and former senior civil servants including former State Archives director Datuk Datu Tigabelas Datu Zainal Abidin.

Harris lamented that it is unbecoming of Datu Tigabelas to say that “our former leaders were stupid” and it is disgusting for a retired senior civil servant to make such remarks.

Looking back, he said, the then Sabah leaders Tun Datu Mustapha Datu Harun, Tun Mohd Fuad Stephens, Datuk GS Sundang and Datuk Khoo Siak Chiaw and others fared very well for Sabah in joining Malaya, Singapore and Sarawak in forming the Malaysia Federation.

“Even if the discussion is held today, no matter what education Sabah leaders have, they cannot get what Sabah former leaders have achieved for Sabah to become an independent state through Malaysia.

“Sabah former leaders might be uneducated without Doctorate degrees, but they were more civilised than some of the present leaders. These leaders were fair and just, what was right was right, and what was wrong was wrong,” said Harris.

He said objectively, there was nothing wrong with the present system of government in the country and that Sabah is well represented both at the Cabinet and Parliament.

“Everything is running in accordance with democratic principle – rule by the majority. However, if there is any shortcoming, then the blame is on the implementation of laws, policies and developments; Sabah representatives must take the blame.

“It is noted that a number of these representatives questioned the decision made at Federal Government when they were also a party to the decision. This is unbecoming of Sabah representatives.

“Nevertheless, Sabahans seem to ignore and continue to support these Yang Berhormats from time to time. In normal civilised countries, either these representatives resigned from their posts or replaced at the next election,” Harris contended.

He pointed out that even if for the sake of an argument that the 20 Points is still valid legally, literally and spiritually; what are the points that were not being fulfilled by the Federal Government all these years.

Admittedly, he said there might be some points which were not completely fulfilled such as the number 8 which requires that Sabahans should be appointed to head federal departments.

“This is implementation, and not basic structural fault. Of course, there is discrimination especially on the implementation of development projects.

“Who is to be blamed for the discrimination, Kuala Lumpur or Sabah representatives at Federal Level?”

According to him further, the danger of making misleading, misconceiving and giving false hope to the people based on hopes, Sabahans will be just waiting and hoping that when the 20 Points is returned by the Federal Government to Sabah, there is no need for Sabahans to work as everything will be delivered to their houses.

“Surely this is a false hope,” said Harris who pointed out that the other important issue is that these leaders are fanning hatred against the Federal Government, ignoring that Sabah is part and parcel of the Federal Government.

“These two elements; false hopes and fanning hatred against the Federal Government will not help Sabahans to work hard and improve themselves to be good citizens and Malaysia to become a developed nation.”

In this regard, Harris reckoned that the right thinking people must help to dispel these false hopes and hatred-fanning once and for all.

“Of course, there are many ways to correct the wrongs made by the leaders who continuously make statement after statement on the 20 Points,” added Harris who appraised what happened over the last 40 years on the 20 Points and its present status.

The actual present status of 1. Religion (Passed unanimously by the State Legislative Assembly that Islam is the State religion; 2. Language (unanimously passed by the State Legislative Assembly in 1971 that Malay is to be the official language in line with the agreed National Policy; 3. Constitution (done); 4. Head of the Federation (not applicable); 5. Name of Federation (Malaysia); 6. Immigration (remain as of today); 7. Right of Secession (nobody ever tried); 8. Borneonisation (a lot to be done); 9. British Officers (Lapsed); 10. Citizenship (remain as of today).

Points 11. Tariffs and Finance (remain as of today); 12. Special Position of Indigenous Races (remain as of today); 13. State Government (adopted); 14. Transitional Period (gone); 15. Education (surrendered by Sabah to Federal Government); 16. Constitution Safeguards (remain as of today); 17. Representation in Federal Parliament (lapsed. Increased every 10 years); 18. Name of Head of State (Yang DiPertua Negara); 19. Name of State (Sabah); 20. Lands, Forest, Local Government,etc (remain as of today).