KUAMUT: The Federal Government’s decision to repeal the Internal Security Act (ISA) and other reforms are indicative of the Barisan Nasional (BN) government being responsive to the people’s feelings.
“These important reforms vindicate the decision by our president, Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan, to rejoin the BN 10 years ago. He stood by his convictions despite all the criticisms and uncharitable remarks hurled at him by his detractors then.
“Today, Pairin’s faith in the BN, to do the right things for the people and nation has been proven correct,” Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) information chief Datuk Johnny Mositun said after opening the PBS Kuamut division’s annual general meeting here Saturday.
Mositun was commenting on Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s announcement on Malaysia Day that the detested relics of the colonial era in the form of the ISA and the Printing and Publications Act would both be repealed and the powers of detention now vested in the police would be reviewed and transferred to the judiciary.
“These and other recent changes made by our Prime Minister since assuming office two years ago prove that the BN is listening to the people. The people should no longer question the Prime Minister’s commitment and political will to transform this country for the better,” he said.
Mositun said there were still outstanding matters to be resolved such as the illegal immigrants, the Borneonisation of the civil service in Sabah, the status of Sino-Natives and native customary rights (NCR) land.
He noted that only recently the Chief Minister had helped to resolve a longstanding dispute over NCR land in Kota Marudu to the satisfaction of all parties.
“And I am also happy that a similar dispute here I raised at PPRT Tongod Scheme affecting 700 villagers in 2006 has been settled amicably. Not only are the villagers allowed to remain on their land, they are receiving RM450 per month each from SLDB which has also developed the land for them with oil palm,” he said.
Mositun said PBS had been quietly and consistently pursuing to resolve such problems within the BN along with its partners in the state BN.
He said the Chief Minister had always been sympathetic and helpful in seeking satisfactory and lasting solutions to these problems, and PBS was confident that most of Sabah’s outstanding problems could be resolved through cooperation and dialogue and not confrontation.
Calling on PBS members in the Kuamut Division to stand by the party leaders and BN and work hard to return the BN to power in the next general election, Mositun said he was disappointed with LDP deputy president Datuk Chin Su Phin for suggesting that Chief Ministers and Menteri Besar should have their term of office restricted to two terms.
Mositun said it was his personal view that LDP had exceeded the bounds of decorum expected of a BN component party.
“Chin has an axe to grind against Datuk Seri Musa. He finds this a convenient excuse to cover up his real intention, which is to see our Chief Minister replaced.
“I find this very abhorrent and unethical. It is my personal view that he deserves to be dealt with appropriately, either by his own party or the state BN. That is my view, whether others agree with me or not,” Mositun said.
As for a similar call from United Borneo Front (UBF) Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan, Mositun said this was plainly an attempt to distract the people.
“Our political rivals are creating a diversion from the real important issues we must focus on to prepare for the coming general election. They provoke the people into a useless debate on this non-issue and take away your interest and attention from the real and more important things we should be doing to strengthen and prepare your party for the elections.
“If, as he said his proposal is for the future, why bring it up now?” he asked.