KOTA KINABALU: Former Putatan member of parliament Datuk Dr Marcus Makin Mojigoh has expressed his disappointment towards members of parliament from Sabah for not raising their concerns when the national budget was unveiled.
“Except for the MPs from Sipitang, Kota Kinabalu, Kimanis, Semporna and Penampang, most are quiet. But even though they spoke, they were very brief. Perhaps there is a time limit?” he said to reporters.
“Our Sabah MPs are not as vocal as those MPs in Semenanjung. They are not vocal enough to voice out for the people of Sabah…the way they talk. They are towing the line.
“From my observation, they may not know what is the content of budget.”
He added that the national budget failed to specify what was in store for Sabah.
For example, the budget has failed to include the term ‘Bumiputera Sabah and Sarawak’ and used only the general term ‘Bumiputera’, he said.
Mojigoh explained that although there was nothing wrong in this, it would be better if the term ‘Bumiputera Sabah and Sarawak’ was used so that the Bumiputeras in both states would benefit from the budget.
He added that if the term is not specified, the assistance for Bumiputeras may not reach the target group in Sabah and Sarawak.
Mojigoh also queried the huge allocation given to Jcom (Community Communications Department).
He said that it is redundant to set up Jcom which carries the same function as the Information Department.
“The Information Department can carry out the function of correcting the fake news and misinformation. There is no need to set up another department,” he said.
He also queried the rationality of funding mega projects such as the Gemas double electric tracking and rapid transit from Johor to Woodland (Singapore), while reducing allocations for the much-needed Pan Borneo project for Sabah and Sarawak.
“Why scale down for Sabah?”
Mojigoh also berated the MPs from Sabah for failing to ask about the cabotage policy which is still causing prices of goods in Sabah to be 30 percent more expensive than in Peninsular Malaysia.
“Can you imagine how more expensive it is for these products when they are transported to the interiors of Sabah? The folks in the interior are the poor people. The government should subsidise the price difference of goods and costs incurred so that there is one price nationwide and avoid the anti-semenanjung sentiment by Sabah and Sarawak. We don’t want to be treated as adopted children,” he said.
He also reminded that because of the restriction imposed on shipping fleets to Sabah, even goods manufactured in Sabah are not competitive to those manufactured elsewhere in the country since it is costlier in the state.
He also reminded that Sabah is still the poorest state and urged Keningau MP Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Sabah and Sarawak Affairs) Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Johnity Ongkili to look into getting companies that are headquartered outside of Sabah but are operating in the state to pay their tax dues to Sabah.
He said that these companies should pay corporate and sales taxes in Sabah since they operate in the state.
At the same time, he said that the federal budget should also include a specific budget to address illegal immigrants’ issues.
He reminded that the present government won because of the illegal immigrants issue.
“Hence the Federal government must give its priority to address the issue regarding illegal immigrants in the country.”
Mojigoh said that the plantation sector and construction industry must be required to employ locals and these sectors should move towards mechanization to reduce their dependence on foreign labour and deprive locals.
He also said that although the budget was acceptable, he would like to know the source of the funding for the largest budget for the country.
“Is it from the sales of assets of GLCs (government-linked corporations) or government? There needs to be transparency,” he said.
Mojigoh also commended the Finance Minister for being so accommodative towards the proposal from those taking part in the debate during the winding up, and also expressed his appreciation towards Pekan MP Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s proposal for the government to ‘look at Borneo policy’.
“Sabah and Sarawak people loved that. It is high time for the Malaysian government to focus on Sabah and Sarawak and the interest of her people so that the anti-Malaya sentiment among some people will cool down.”