
From left: Musa Aman, Najib Razak and Joseph Pairin Kitingan.
When the Huguan Siou speaks, the prime minister listens

Joseph Pairin Kitingan (left) and Najib Razak
It
could be his magic touch or charisma. But by his quiet and gentle
persuasion, Joseph Pairin Kitingan gets things done for Sabah’s
indigenous Kadazandusuns and Muruts who make up about a fifth of the
3.2m people who include Malays, ethnic Chinese and Indians. Most
importantly, he has the ear of Najib Razak, the prime minister.

Najib Razak during his walkabout at Bingkor, Keningau
He
doesn’t throw tantrums in public or hold the ruling 13-party Barisan
Nasional coalition, of which his Parti Bersatu Sabah (unity party) is a
member, to ransom. Yet when others in the coalition fail, Pairin, as he
is affectionately called by his middle name, succeeds.
The undisputed
Huguan Siou, paramount leader of the
Kadazandusuns and Muruts, has got the prime minister to set up a royal
commission of inquiry into illegal immigrants in Sabah and the first
college of higher learning for Kadazandusuns and Muruts, build a water
treatment plant and lay 52km (32.5 miles) of pipes to bring potable
water to slightly more than 200,000 mostly natives in the Sabah
interior.

The 30m-ringgit Sabah Handicraft Centre in Keningau
“Every time we met … he (Pairin) would always raise the water supply
problem of the people in the interior,” said Najib during a visit to
Keningau to celebrate the
Kaamatan harvest festival with the
Kadazandusuns and Muruts on June 16. “So I said, ‘just wait till I come
to Keningau.’ I haven’t come here empty handed.”
The federal government is giving Sabah a 235m ringgit ($73.5m) loan
for the water project. Najib said his government would fund the KDM
college. How much that would be will depend on a discussion between him
and Pairin.

Solumi Mijan, an artisan, learns the art of her people.
Pairin
has been the lawmaker of Keningau, a parliamentary constituency five
times the size of Singapore, since 1986. It includes his state seat of
Tambunan which he has held for 36 years after winning it in 1976.
At 71 the Grand Old Man of Sabah politics has certainly mellowed with
age but he has not lost his effectiveness. And he has drawn much wisdom
from his experience in leading a state in hostile opposition to Kuala
Lumpur and then working in consonance with the centre as government
leader.
His patience and tact have paid off. Events of the past week have put
Keningau in sharp focus not just because of the prime minister’s visit.
They have announced the massive transformation of Keningau into an
economic, educational and cultural hub.

Sompoton, the bamboo harmonica of the Kadazandusuns.
Forestry
and vast acreage of oil palms have supported Keningau. But Najib
launched Malaysia’s biggest integrated livestock centre in Sook, a small
distance from Keningau town, that will draw investments of 763m
ringgit. It can produce 6m litres of milk a year. There will be 2,000
cows with 1,600 of them producing milk while the rest will be
slaughtered for beef. The centre is expected to produce 2m litres of
milk from 500 cows next year.
Najib opened a 30m-ringgit handicraft centre of which 20m ringgit has
come from the federal government. It is a one-stop centre that trains
artisans, produces and sells handicraft.

Keningau town.
So
the KDM college fits snugly into Keningau’s economic transformation.
Agriculture and agro-industries need lots of skilled workers. It would
be fitting for the college to produce agriculturalists, agronomists,
veterinarians, carpenters, building technicians and artisans to fill
thousands of jobs in Keningau.
“This college is a dream of the KDM community to have a higher
learning institution in the interior of Sabah,” said Pairin as Najib
launched the college at Kaingaran in Tambuan, about 43km from Keningau.
“Every year, thousands of school leavers from Keningau, Tambunan,
Nabawan and Ranau have to further their studies in Kota Kinabalu or the
peninsula. The fact is that not many of them can afford to do so.”
It will be built on 20 hectares of a hillock that forms part of 240
hectares of state land. Officials said 200 hectares of it would be
planted with oil palms that should in time earn enough money for the
college. –
Insight Sabah
- Reporting by Rebecca Chong
- Pictures by Oliver Majaham
Old Najib..? Najib has aged that fast ?
ReplyDeleteNajib is also not that young anymore, but no where as old as Taib Mahmud.
Deletesabah-go-green.blogspot.com
pairin adalah hugunan siou, dia byk main peranan dalam membantu rakyat.
ReplyDeletesudah 31 tahun Pairin menjadi Huguan Siou.rasanya masih layakkah pegang gelaran tu?
Deleteage is not the matter but whether he is still capable in doing his job well to fulfil his responsibilities to the people as a huguan siou.
DeleteThe people still think of him as their huguan siou, hope that he will continue to serve his supporters as they expect of him.
Deletesabah-go-green.blogspot.com
Rasa-rasa Pairin mendapat sokongan positif dari golongan awam.
Deletepairin masih lagi relevan..
Deletemoga pairin dpt terus majukan keningau.
ReplyDeleteBeliau perlu lebih aktif dalam menjalankan tanggungjawabnya sebagai Huguan Siou, Ahli Parlimen Keningau dan wakil rakyat Tambunan.
DeleteBecause of Pairin, Keningau is becoming more and more developed. Good job pairin.
DeletePasti satu saingan hangat antara Pairin & Jeffrey.
Deletepairin akan menang..
DeleteGood that the Prime Minister pays attention to Pairin Kitingan when he speaks, he is no doubt our Huguan Siou. Hope that he can spread positive influence to the Prime Minister.
ReplyDeleteMungkin meminta lebih banyak projek pembangunan untuk kaum KDM juga rakyat Sabah keseluruhannya.
DeleteHope that he will help the locals gain more development and attention from the PM.
Deletesabah-go-green.blogspot.com
Many of the local folks still put their trust and support on Datuk Pairin, hope that he will continue to uphold his Huguan Siou title.
ReplyDeleteSemoga Pairin terus menyumbangkan sesuatu kepada masyarakat KDM.
DeleteNampaknya Pairin masih besar pengaruhnya walaupun terdapat suara2 yang tidak menyokong beliau.
ReplyDeleteDon't underestimate Pairin's influence. He may look like a leader that is not fighting for the people but the fact is , he doesn't need publicity to let people know what he did for them.
Deletepengaruh pairin masih kuat...
DeletePairin has done many things to make sure that the people in sabah got the things that they want.
ReplyDeletethanks to him we will get our KDM college..
DeleteThere are difference between leader who talks a lot but no action and leader who seems to be silent but shows results.
ReplyDeleteWill Pairin vs Jeffrey for MP Keningau? Can't wait to know!
ReplyDeletepairin will win...
Deletesaya rasa pairin akan dapat mengatasi JK di keningau.
DeletePairin will voice for the people.
ReplyDeleteWith Pairin, I think KDM can gain more benefit and welfare.
ReplyDeleteIt will be built on 20 hectares of a hillock that forms part of 240 hectares of state land. Officials said 200 hectares of it would be planted with oil palms that should in time earn enough money for the college
ReplyDeleteMoga-moga perancangan ini dijalan lancar dan berjaya menjana pendapatan yang lumayan.
Teruskan usaha bagi membantu penduduk di Sabah ini.
ReplyDeleteya, usaha harus diteruskan untuk membantu rakyat.
DeleteDatuk Pairin mampu mengubah kehidupan penduduk KDM. Itu adalah kenyataan. Pairin cuba memberikan pelbagai program yang dapat meningkatkan pendapatan penduduk.
ReplyDeletepairin merupakan antara pemimpin yang paling berpengaruh dan dihormati.
ReplyDeletekalau Najib tidak ikut apa yang dia cakap, bersar impaknya kepada BN Sabah jika Pairin bawa keluar PBS dari BN..
Deletebanyak lagi perlu dibuat..usaha harus terus dibuat untuk majukan rakyat.
ReplyDeleteteruskan fokus dan sentiasa berusaha berikan yang terbaik untuk rakyat.
ReplyDeletetengok la macam si Pairin.. tidak perlu lantang bersuara di media pun boleh menyumbang kepada rakyat..
ReplyDelete