TENOM: A Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR)-led state government in Sabah will introduce sweeping reforms in policies, programmes and approaches in the state by empowering the people to participate with policy-planners in planning and implementation of projects, said state PKR chairman Datuk Lajim Ukin in Tenom.
Lajim, who is currently the state opposition leader, said a Pakatan state government promised not to repeat the various mistakes of UMNO, but instead would work to strengthen the state administration and its finance and hence socio-economic programmes.
“We are working early on our election manifesto which outlines new approaches and ideas for Sabah. Just wait for it. In the meantine please work hard to explain to the people that PKR is not like UMNO. We have have our own autonomy provided for in PKR party constitution,” he said when officiating at the annual general meeting of PKR Tenom division at Kampung Kalibatang Lama near here yesterday.
Explaining further, Lajim, who is also Klias assemblyman, said that all candidates for general election in Sabah were decided solely by the state leadership, and likewise the post of chief minister of Sabah would eventually be decided by Sabah leadership alone here, and not like UMNO where one has to be decided by the UMNO president in Kuala Lumpur.
“In PKR you don’t have to send “udang” (prawns) to leaders in Kuala Lumpur in order to be considered for election candidate. All that needs to be done is meet me here and I will decide our candidates,” he said elaborating that divisions would be requested to send three names of possible candidates for each seat at stake.
Lajim also announced in Tenom that a Pakatan state government would revive the tradition of appointing six nominated assemblymen as provided for under the state constitution but currently is not implemented by the UMNO-led government.
The revival of the six nominated assemblymen should enhance representation and expertise in the now 60-member State Assembly.
In announcing this, he said he hoped in the coming general election, the Murut would ensure their PKR Murut candidates win handsomely in the Interior so as to have a strong representation in the state government.
“Today I promise the Murut community, when we form the state government at the coming election, I will make sure (at least) one Murut is appointed a full minister, either at the state or federal level,” he said in front of the over 100 strong delegates.
He also said that PKR members here were lucky because they have a central leadership in Kuala Lumpur who had officially and strongly adopted to respect Sabah state autonomy and constitutional safeguards.
“Our party recently introduced Article 5.8 in its constitution to specifically outline this aspect of safeguards and autonomy for Sabah in accordance with the Malaysia Agreement and other constitutional documents.
“In order for an autonomous state government in Kota Kinabalu to be effective it must be aligned to the central power in Putrajaya, and this alignment already exists in PKR as well as Pakatan.
“Unlike others, we don’t simply shout ‘autonomy’ here and there for no realistic reason or hope,” Lajim added.
Also present at the AGM were state PKR secretary Datuk Maijol Mahap, Tenom divisional head Masdin Thomas, state PKR youth chief Raymond Ahuar and state women chief Johair Matlani.