And Mr Kalakau to join PKR

Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) is the choice of ex-Federal Labour Deputy Minister and Barisan Barisan Nasional ex-member of Parliament for Tuaran Datuk Kalakau Untol.

The former BN-UPKO senator and ex-Youth leader will hands over his application form to PKR leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim during a meet-the-people gathering at his (Kalakau's) house in Tuaran, about 50km from Kota Kinabalu on Sunday (Feb 28, 2010).

Following Kalakau joining the opposition party are 2,000 of his supporters, majority of them members of BN component parties. Kalakau is United Sabah Dusun Association (USDA) president.

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Najib in Sabah

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak will make a two-day official visit to Sabah starting Saturday.

Najib, who will be accompanied by his wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, is scheduled to open three meetings of Barisan Nasional component parties in Sabah during the visit.

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman told reporters here on Friday that Najib would open the Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) congress at a hotel upon arrival in Kota Kinabalu.

On Sunday, he would attend the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) congress at 1Borneo, near here, have lunch with Sabah Umno leaders and open the United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation (Upko) national convention at the Penampang Cultural Centre hall before returning to Kuala Lumpur. - Bernama

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Ong Tee Keat enemy of the people of Sabah & Sarawak

A Government member of Parliament from Sabah has branded the Federal Government, MCA president and Transport Minister Datuk Ong Tee Keat as the enemy of the poor people in Sabah and Sarawak for imposing a policy to have cars aged more than 15 years go for mandatory roadworthiness inspection from next year. Datuk Dr Marcus Mojigoh, UPKO Putatan MP, described the new policy as ridiculous and annoying as well as burdening especially to the people of Sabah and Sarawak. He said it should not be imposed in the two States as yet. He said owners of such cars were mostly poor in the rural areas where there is no Puspakom branch. "This minister is a rich man, Please ask him to replace our cars. He is becoming the enemy of the poor people. The poor people are not happy as the policy will render them losing their only mode of transportation," Mojigoh told Daily Express' journalist Chris Maskilone in Kota Kinabalu Sunday.

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UPKO and Perak

Sabah-based political party, UPKO, on Saturday established four divisions in Perak. Although the party headed by Tan Sri Bernard Dompok has every right to spread its wing to any State in Malaysia, some Barisan Nasional's component party members are not happy.

Umno Tanjung Malim Division, where the four UPKO new divisions are located, is not happy as they claimed that the Sabah party came in from the `back door'. UPKO did not consult nor `knocked at the door' before coming in.

It will be interesting to know/hear what other BN leaders has to say about this latest development in politics.

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Orang Asli in Perak joins Sabah-based UPKO

KOTA KINABALU: A Sabah-based Barisan Nasional component party launched five divisions in Perak today. The United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun and Murut Organisation (Upko) is spreading it wings to help provide a voice for the Orang Asli community there.

Upko president and Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Tan Sri Bernard Dompok is expected to launch the five pro-tem divisions in Tapah, where he is attending the Perak Orang Asli Land Development Convention.

Upko supreme council member Albert Bingkasan said yesterday the Orang Asli of the Semai group had expressed their interests in joining the party for the past two years.

"The community wanted a vehicle in the country's political mainstream and it appears they are attracted to our struggles in the party, which is focused on the indigenous communities.
"Many of them being Christians and indigenous also find it hard to expand, politically, with other BN parties which have different priorities for the communities they represent," Bingkasan said.

Under Upko's Constitution, membership is open to all Malaysians who subscribe to the party's struggles, he added.

The party opened a division in Shah Alam, Selangor, two years ago where most of its members are from Sabah.

Upko, which has 44 divisions, is merging the divisions into 25 in line with the number of parliamentary seats in the state.

Indigenous Peoples Network of Malaysia president Adrian Lasimbang said estabishment of the branches would be a positive political development for the Orang Asli community.

"Presently in Parliament, the Orang Asli has only one representative, Senator Osman Bujang. They also do not have any political party to represent them."

Lasimbang said in Peninsular Malaysia, there were more than 100,000 Orang Asli people from 18 groups, with the majority being the Semai community. Adopted from HERE

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Stateless Sabahans

The story that I am reproducing below is from HERE.

Such a story is common in Sabah. Parents are both Sabahans but they were born outside the country. Kadazans from Penampang who went to Brunei to work will testified that although they are Malaysians, their children born while they were in the sultanate are now classified as `Stateless'.

Its awkward to know that in a family of four siblings, some will have Mykads while the others are green identity card holders.

I know for a fact a friend of mine who was born in Brunei, now back in Sabah and is a `Stateless' person. Though highly qualified, this friend was unable to secured employment in the government service.

The friend of mine was to travel abroad last month but getting a passport was a problem with lots of requirements to be met, and told that meeting what the authorities wanted was not a guarantee that a passports will be issued.

All eyes will be on the new announcement by the government in easing out the problems faces by `Stateless' citizen of this country.

One applicant who is not impressed

2009/07/10

KOTA KINABALU: Alice Chui Pee, who regards herself a "stateless Sabahan", is hardly impressed with the Home Ministry's assurance to citizenship applicants that their long wait will end soon. Until she gets her citizenship, Alice remains as frustrated as she was, having waited almost all her life for it.

Born in Singapore in 1957, Alice returned with her parents to Sabah two years later.

Two of her three siblings were also born in Singapore and are now Malaysians, two with MyKad and the other a permanent resident, while she remains stateless based on the green identity card she holds for more than 30 years now.

Alice last sought help from a special committee formed by United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun and Murut Organisation (Upko), a component party of the Barisan Nasional, to look into the plight of Sabahans with citizenship problems.

Her application remains unchanged.

Speaking through her daughter Melissa Lim, Alice said the statement made by Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein was one of many she had heard in the past although she was thankful that something was being done about it.

"My sister Marjorie is graduating in Johor sometime in August this year and my mother is hoping to attend the ceremony.

"She had only left Sabah once some years back after making a special application to visit my sister who was then hospitalised in Kuala Lumpur.

"She hopes to make the same application to attend the ceremony but it would be nice if she could travel using a document that states she is a citizen of Malaysia," she said.

Alice's case is one of many received by the committee called the Upko Citizenship and Security Bureau led by Moyog assemblyman and assistant Finance Minister Donald Mojuntin. -- By Roy Goh

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Kadazan should get one more minister post

Sabah-based Barisan Nasional component party member, Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS) is not happy that Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Haji Aman did not appoint a leader from the Kadazandusun and Murut community as a minister in the Sabah State Cabinet.

PBRS information chief Rayner Francis Udong said the recent cabinet reshuffle was the best opportunity for Musa, who is Sabah BN chairman, to correct the lopsided Cabinet line-up. He said the party regretted that the Chief Minister did not take the opportunity for that purpose.

Udong said the expected composition of the State Cabinet was 5-3-2, five ministers from the Muslim Bumiputera quote, three from non-Muslim Bumiputera and two for the Chinese community.

The non-Muslim Bumiputera quote is now represented by Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Joseph Pairin Kitingan from Parti Bersatu Sabah and Rural Development Minister Datuk Dr Ewon Ebin from UPKO.

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Continue to use English

Former Tuaran Member of Parliament Datuk Wilfred Madius Tangau said the government’s policy in using English as the medium of teaching of mathematics and science must continue.
Madius, who is also UPKO secretary general Datuk Wilfred Madius Tangau, said that the policy will have a long term positive impact on students especially those in rural areas.
He also said that mastering the global language will give students an added advantage to acquire more knowledge which is useful for personal development.
“Maybe in a short term, the policy is burdensome to many students who have no strong foundation in the language. But in the long term, it will have more positive affects because the latest discoveries in science and technology are mostly published in English,” he said.
Madius noted that the positive outcomes of the policy are in fact already apparent judging from the increase in the command of the language among rural students.
“Most students who sat in last year’s SPM and STPM examinations willingly opted to answer the questions in English,” he said.
He dismissed fears among Malay language activists that continuing the policy would affect students’ command of the national language.

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Dompok: Leave The Herald alone

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Tan Sri Bernard Dompok said the Home Affairs Ministry should let the court decide instead of continuing to harass the Catholic weekly, Herald, for using the word “Allah” in its latest publication.

Stating that it was an unnecessary controversy, he said the Home Affairs Ministry should just lay the matter to rest because it is waiting for hearing in the court.

He was speaking to Sabah journalists after officiating at the presentation ceremony of the UPSR 2008 excellence award, uniform assistance and Year Six “Aku Janji” pledge at SK St Theresa, Inobong, Penampang near Kota Kinabalu Friday.

“Lately, the Ministry of Home Affairs has been harassing the Herald to such an extent that they have to go to the court and (now) waiting for hearing,” he said, adding that based on comments, including by lawyers, on the issue, the Herald should be allowed to publish as they have done before pending the outcome of the Court.

“It is not for the Ministry of Home Affairs to pre-empt the decision of the court,” said Dompok who is also the President of the United Pasok Momogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation (UPKO).

He was responding to the reports quoting Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar warning the Herald as “the show of defiance could cause conflict and anger among other races in the country”.

Syed Hamid also said that “if anything happens, then don’t put the blame on us” and that he would refer the matter to the Ministry’s legal unit.

“There’s no reason for the Home Affairs Ministry to kelam kabut (get all excited) to look at this. I think they are using very strong language (against the Herald),” said Dompok.

He added that the Herald, is just a small organisation having a circulation of just about 14,000 a week out of the Christian population of about two million and slightly more than a million Catholics in the country.

“It is only being sold in churches so I don’t see how it can confuse the people,” he said, adding that it had also complied with the requirement of the Ministry to stamp the word “Terhad” (limited) on every edition.

Dompok said the matter would have arisen during the Premiership of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad “but I think wisdom prevail”.

He said the usage of the word “Allah” should be viewed from the historical perspective since the terminology had came about when Bahasa Malaysia was used by the people even before Malaysia (existed).

He said it was the language used by the people of the Borneo territories (as the) Melayu tacit lingua franca, even though English was used in most schools but there were also some schools that were conducted in Malay at that time.

“So religion developed along the line of communications and in this particular village (Kampung Inobong) for instance I didn’t have occasion to use the terminology because sermons and proceedings in church are conducted in Kadazan and “Allah” in Kadazan is “Kinoingan”.

“I went to school in La Salle in Kota Kinabalu, when I go to church its in English so God is God,” he said.

However, Dompok said in rural areas where the predominance of Bahasa Malaysia came about, the usage of “Allah” became more pronounced, especially after the importation of Bible written in Indonesian language, which refers to God as “Allah”.

He said the terminology is widely used in Indonesia and also in Arab countries by Christians.

“So it is a universal terminology use in the Christian world when they are praying in their vernacular language. There is no reason for the Home Ministry to continue harassing the Catholic Herald,” he said.

Based on reports, Dompok said it was “as though the Herald was trampling on the toes of everybody while in fact I feel the Ministry of Home Affairs is using a sledge hammer to crack a nut in full force to silence the Herald”.

“We are living in a country that practices democracy, freedom of religion and that the first tenet of the Rukun Negara is Believe in God. People want to believe is God so I think they should be allowed to so,” he said.

Dompok also could not believed that people were even suggesting disallowing worship by other religions in Malay.

“I said how can that be? Bahasa Malaysia does not belong to the Malays alone, this is the language of all Malaysians, your and my language.

“So I feel if there is indeed objection to that then perhaps its time for us to look for a new national language so that there would not be “confusion” among Malaysians,” he said.

To a question, Dompok said he had spoken to Home Minister and brought up the issue in the Cabinet.

“In fact it was the day after the (Federal) Cabinet meeting that they gave back the Herald the license to publish in Malay,” he said.

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Dompok says no Act cast in stone

"There is no Act that is cast in stone," Minister in the Prime Minister Tan Sri Bernard Dompok said today.

He was referring to what Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Haji Aman's Aman told the State Legislative Assembly on Thursday (Nov 20, 2008). Musa, who is also Sabah Finance Minister, said that Sabah could not seek a revision of the five per cent petroleum royalty because it was not provided for in the 1976 Petroleum Agreement signed between the State and Federal Governments.

Dompok, who is also UPKO president, did not agree with Musa. He said it was not impossible to amend statues and therefore not impossible to review the Sabah five per cent petroleum royalty. Although Sabah produce oil, under the 1976 agreement this State known as the Land Below the Wind is only paid five per cent royalty.

UPKO (United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun and Murut Organisation) , a component of the ruling Barisan Nasional had been vocal in its request to the Federal Government to increase the annual oil royalty to 20 per cent.

Dompok said it was up to the government of the day to decide what it wanted based from request arising from the people who wanted to see changes.

"But if out tell me that laws cannot be changed, then that cannot be true. It is not possible to amend the statues," he said. He said when the issue was recommended (by him) to the Federal Cabinet, there has been no outright decision to reject it.

"As far as I can see from the Cabinet's discussion, there had not been any definite decision. I hope the Federal Government will consider it in the future," Dompok said

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UPKO Stays Put In BN

KOTA KINABALU, Nov 7 (Bernama) - Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Tan Sri Bernard Dompok said on Friday he was happy with the federal cabinet's decision to create a petrochemical industry in Sabah, following the objection to the construction of a gas pipeline from Kimanis to Bintulu by the people of Sabah.

In this context, factories linked to the gas and petrochemical industry would also be built, he said in a statement today.

Dompok said that after he had raised up the issue at the Cabinet meeting in Putrajaya today, a decision was reached to continue with the construction of the gas pipeline from Kimanis to Bintulu, but only the excess gas would be piped to Sarawak.

"The federal cabinet has now agreed to create a full-fledged petrochemical industry in Sabah using gas and oil from Sabah while only the excess gas would be channelled to Sarawak because the construction of the gas pipeline from Kimanis to Bintulu would be continued."

"On behalf of UPKO (United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation) and the people of Sabah, I thank the federal government for its concern," said Dompok, who is also president of UPKO.

He said the resolution would certainly diversify Sabah's economic activity and the erection of the factories for the petrochemical industry would provide a boost and catalyst to the Sabah Development Corridor.

"Finally, Sabah, one of only three oil and gas producing states in Malaysia, can now be active in the gas and oil downstream industries."

The simultaneous construction of the petrochemical factories and gas pipeline could help Sabah, which had been lagging especially in the gas and oil industry, to progress and enjoy the benefits derived from the country's development," he added.

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UPKO will quit BN if...

UPKO President and Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Tan Sri Bernard Dompok (pix) will asked the Federal Cabinet during its meeting tomorrow to scrap the Petronas gas pipeline project from Kimanis, Sabah to Bintulu, Sarawak.

"If our call is not heeded by the Federal Government, UPKO will decide its position in Barisan Nasional (BN)...whether or not to leave the national coalition."

"I am committed to articulating about this and I will be talking to the cabinet on Friday. I want to pursue this," he told the Press after launching the Public Complaints Bureau's integrated mobile complaint counter in Donggongon, Penampang, Sabah on Thursday.

On Saturday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi confirmed that the 500km inter-state gas pipeline project would go on despite an earlier decision to scrap it. The RM1.5 billion facility is expected to be operational in 2011.

Dompok said by sending the gas to Bintulu, Sabah which is the major oil-producing State would be in the losing end.

"What is presently proposed by Petronas is merely a landing point in Kimanis and from there, a pipeline is to be built to Bintulu to facilitate the export of gas to other countries in the form of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG)."

"They will put it in big tankers and export it. So, what we are saying here is, the gas can be used, firstly as a feed stock for downstream activities (in Sabah) and it can also be used to generate electricity so that we can have energy security for Sabah," he said.

Asked on the call by Sabah Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Sabah deputy liaison head Daniel John Jambun for UPKO o to leave BN following the party's outburst against the project, Dompok said, "They are entitled to their opinions."

"But certainly we are not beholden to any party... our clients are the people. We will cross the bridge when we come to it," he said.

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Sabah/Sarawak Bumiputeras = Illegal immigrants

Bumburing says Sabah-Sarawak Bumiputeras in same category as illegals

Kuala Lumpur: Tuaran MP Datuk Wilfred Bumburing claimed that Bumiputeras in Sabah and Sarawak had been placed in the same category as thousands of illegal immigrants in Sabah, devoid of race distinction, as shown in official statistics and application forms as "yang lain-lain" (others).

Some were even humiliated by the term "second-class bumiputeras", he said, adding that this was the result of the ignorance of the officers concerned.

Citing an example, he said a Kadazandusun male by the name of Max was listed a second-class Bumiputera when he failed to produced his birth certificate while applying to invest in the ASB.

Speaking during a debate in support of the 2009 Budget in Parliament, in Kuala Lumpur, Wednesday, Bumburing, who is Upko Deputy President, also hoped that the status of marriages under the Native Court would be recognised by the National Registration Department.

He urged that the special assistance of three per cent accorded to Malaysians Indians be extended to Bumiputeras in Sabah and Sarawak.

My Say:

I reproduced this here as I found it was not carried in other newspapers that I read except in the Daily Express.

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Another term for Dompok

This story is from HERE

KOTA KINABALU: Tan Sri Bernard Giluk Dompok and Datuk Seri Wilfred Mojilip Bumburing today retained their posts unopposed, in the United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation (Upko) as president and deputy president, respectively.

The results which were announced after the party’s pre-council meeting here, also saw Arthur Sen and Datin Dr Jaina Sintian become the new youth and wanita chiefs unopposed, from their current positions as deputies.Senator Maijol Mahap, Datuk Dr Ewon Ebin, Datuk Wences Angang and Datuk Tan Yong Gee also retained their posts unapposed as vice-presidents.

Datuk Christine Tibok Vanhouten, who did not defend her position as wanita chief, also secured a vice-president’s post unopposed.Earlier, Datuk Dr Marcus Mojigoh was also nominated for vice-president but he decided not to defend his post by pulling out.

The Upko president is set to announce the appointments for two more posts of vice-president.Dr Marcus, and Donald Mojuntin — who did not defend his youth chief position — are among those rumoured to be appointed.

Upko will hold its delegates conference from Oct 10 to 12.The results for the remaining positions in youth and wanita movements are expected on Oct 10, while those for the remaining supreme council positions are expected on Oct 12.

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Will UPKO do a `SAPP'?

HERE is a story by Newmond Tibin, Sabah BERNAMA's Bureau Chief on UPKO.

KOTA KINABALU, Sun: When Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) president Datuk Yong Teck Lee announced the party’s decision to leave the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition on Sept 17, it did not surprise many people as it was expected.

This was because three months earlier, SAPP had given some indication of its intentions. But when United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation (Upko) yesterday threatened to review its position in Barisan Nasional, it came as a shock; as it was reminiscent of SAPP’s political move.

Upko is the second BN component party in Sabah to make a “strong statement” against BN after SAPP. While SAPP unveiled Sabah-related issues as its political “weapon”, Upko appeared to be unhappy with the way the National Registration Department (NRD) handled the plight of 78-year-old Yong Lee Hua, a Sino-Kadazan, who was issued a red identiy card (IC) with the status of a permanent resident when she went to replace her blue IC that she lost in a supermarket in Penampang last year.

Surprised by the downgrading, Upko deputy president Datuk Wilfred Bumburing was quoted as saying yesterday that taking away the citizenship of a locally-born Bumiputera and forcing the person to take permanent resident status was a shocking display of incompetence from a department rigged with controversies, including dubious ICs issued to illegal immigrants via false Statutory Declarations.

“This action by the NRD infringes the basic rights of Malaysians in Sabah and if it is not rectified, Upko must seriously review its position in Barisan,” said Bumburing, who is member of Parliment for Tuaran.

So will Upko follow SAPP because of its dissatisfaction with the BN? A local political analyst, Iskandar Martin Gayo, believed that Upko may have no plans to pull out of BN for now although the Sabah-based party had been quite vocal of late in airing the grouses and grievances of the people of Sabah.

“I think what Upko wants is for the government to rectify the ’mistake’ of a federal government department and it’s not an ultimatum. There is nothing wrong with it. After all what Upko is fighting for is for the good of the local people in Sabah.

“It’s already an open secret that Sabah is inundated with illegal immigrants and some of them have even managed to acquire the MyKad through dubious means, which ultimately qualifies for citizenship. “How can these people get citizenship so easily when our own people are struggling to get it?” he asked.

He urged the federal government to let Sabahans lead the NRD and Immigration Department in Sabah as they would be more familiar with problems affecting the local population. Iskandar said the state government under Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman had been working hard, together with the federal government, to tackle the problem of illegal immigrants.

The issue of illegal immigrants, he said, should not arise anymore as the state and federal governments were serious about solving it once and for all by launching a massive operation to flush out illegals in Sabah recently.

“Recent operations had resulted in thousands of illegal immigrants being sent back to their country of origin. The local people should give the government a chance to complete this gigantic task; all this cannot be accomplished overnight,” he said.

Iskandar hoped the case involving Yong Lee Hua highlighted by Upko was an isolated one and without necessitating it having to think about its position in BN.

He said even Upko president and Penampang MP Tan Sri Bernard Dompok had previously denied that the party would leave BN. Instead, Upko leaders would remain loyal to BN chairman and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, he said. Upko has four MPs — Dompok, Bumburing, Datuk Dr Marcus Majigoh (Putatan) and Datuk Siringan Gubat (Ranau).

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UPKO to quit BN too???

Reading comments in the local newspapers from senior leaders of UPKO lately made me conclude that this Sabah-based Barisan Nasional's component member might follow suit Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) led by Datuk Yong Teck Lee to pull out from the national coalition.
UPKO leaders had openly said that the party led by Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Tan Sri Bernard Dompok will have to review its position in the BN Government led by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
The latest is from UPKO Deptuy President Datuk Seri Panglima Wilfred Mojilip Bumburing, who was commenting on a Sino-Kadazan woman from Penampanag who lost her MyKad and was replaced by the National Registration Department with one that made here just a Permanent Resident.

"What had happened to the 78-year-old Yong Lee Hua @ Piang Lin was simply outrageous and warrant UPKO seriously reviewing its position in BN," Bumburing the BN member of Parliament for Tamparuli.

Meanwhile, commenting on the same issue, UPKO Secretary-General Datuk Wilfred Madius Tangau said if the party's objectives were not `heard' by BN then the party could review its position in the coalition.

"UPKO members has the right to decide its position in Barisan Nasional," he said. Tangau is the former MP for Tuaran.

My Say:

Compared to SAPP, UPKO has four Members of Parliament - Dompok (Penampang), Bumbiring (Tuaran), Datuk Dr Marcus Mojigoh (Putatan) and Datuk Saringan Gubat (Ranau). SAPP has two - Datuk Eric Majimbun (Sepanggar) and Datuk Dr Chua Soon Bui (Tawau).

Yong and Dompok has one thing in common - both were founder members of Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) and ditched the party to form their own political parties in 1994. SAPP had quit BN on Sept 17, 2008.

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Dompok: The effect is not little

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Tan Sri Bernard Dompok (pix)said Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) decision to ditch Barisan Nasional on Sept 17, 2008 was not a `little matter.'

"As far as we (UPKO) are concerned, the effect is not `little', said the UPKO president.

On whether the SAPP's decision would effect affect the national coalition government, Dompok said,"Well I am not going to be arrogant to say that we are not affected at all when any member of our family ditches us."

Whether SAPP is a nuisance to BN, Dompok said." If people follow blindly what big component parties dictate, it is not good, not only for the BN but also for the country."

My Say:

Dompok had been consistence on UPKO's support to SAPP not to be sacked from BN after Yong announced that his two Members of Parliament would support a motion of no confidence to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

The UPKO's stand will be interesting in the coming days now that SAPP had voluntarily pulled out from BN.

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Sept 16 - Public Holiday In Sabah

While the five states controlled by the Opposition in Peninsula Malaysia are planning to declare Sept 16 a Public Holiday to celebrate the formation of Malaysia on Sept 16, 1963, Sabah has all this while been observing that date a Public Holiday, also to celebrate the official Birthday of the Governor (Yang Dipertua Negeri).

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Tan Sri Bernard Dompok said his party UPKO fully supported the call by Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng for Sept 16 to be declared a National Public Holiday.

Speaking to the Press in Kota Kinabalu today, the UPKO president said the matter had been discussed in the Federal Cabinet but nothing came out of it to date. Dompok said he would bring up the matter to the Cabinet again.

But in Kuala Lumpur, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak had shot down the call by the Penang's Chief Minister, saying that the Federal Government had no intention to make Sept 16 a National Public Holiday.

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Dismissed with costs

2008/08/28

Election petitions for Tuaran, Kundasang dismissed
Reports by BERNAMA

KOTA KINABALU, THURS: The Election Court here today dismissed with costs, a petition challenging the election of former Sabah Mmnister Datuk Wilfred Mojilip Bumburing as the Tuaran MP in the last general election.

Justice Datuk Linton Albert also dismissed with costs the election petition challenging the result for the Kundasang state seat which was won by Barisan Nasional(BN)’s Dr Joachim Gunsalam.

In dismissing the Tuaran petition, Linton ruled that the election was carried out legally with no evidence to suggest fraudulence or corrupt practices as claimed.

“There is no reason to declare the election void because the several manifestations of bribery, corrupt and illegal practice alleged by the petitioner have not been proven,” he said.

Bumburing, who is UPKO Deputy President, of the BN won the seat with a majority of 6,622 votes, beating arch rival Sabah Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) head Ansari Abdullah and independent candidate Ajin Gagah.

The petition was filed by Ansari’s election agent, Lim Ching Ping.

In his 10-page judgment, Linton said the petition was grounded almost entirely on the distribution of hard cash ranging from RM50 to RM700, to parents of poor schoolchildren in schools throughout the constituency under the scheme, aptly called Kumpulan Wang Amanah Pelajar Miskin (KWAPM).

He said the element of “bargaining” had not been established, in respect of the corrupt practice of bribery, to the standard of beyond reasonable doubt.

He gave similiar reasoning in dismissing the election petition filed by defeated independent candidate for the Kundasang seat, Japiril Suhaimin.

Japiril, in asking the court to declare that Dr Gunsalam was not duly elected in the election, claimed that at several villages and schools in Kundasang, Dr Gunsalam or his agents had distributed money to poor students under the KWAPM (Poor Students Group Trust Fund).

Dr Gunsalam won the state seat, garnering 3,597 votes while Japiril secured 1,791 votes. Karim Adam, the PKR candidate, polled 1,180 votes.

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On SAPP again!!!

While UPKO president Tan Sri Bernard Dompok wants Barisan Nasional (BN) not to take action against Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) for its declaration to support vote of no confidence on BN chief/Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, a Sabah-based BN member Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) is singing a different tune.

LDP wants BN in its next supreme council meeting to take disciplinary action against SAPP over its stated intention to support any no-confidence vote motion against the Prime Minister.

LDP deputy president Datuk Chin Su Phin made this suggestion after the opening of his Api Api Division annual general meeting by Organising Secretary Yong Vui Chung Sunday.

"If no action is taken against SAPP, then other parties may follow suit in the future," he said.

On Dompok's contention that no action was taken against certain Umno leaders for calling the Prime Minister to resign so no action should be taken against SAPP, Chin said supporting no confidence vote and asking the Prime Minister to resign were two different things.

My Say:

Expecting SAPP to reply this evening.

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