300 natives in north Sabah stage angry protest on land-grabs

PITAS, Sabah : More than 300 angry natives in the northern parts of Sabah particularly from Pitas and Kota Marudu staged a peaceful but powerful rally protest against the prevalent land-grabs in the northern area of Sabah - Kudat, Pitas, Kota Marudu and parts of Beluran, last saturday.

They claimed the land-grabs, some were backed by politicians from the ruling party, had resulted in bitter experience for thousands of them, many are now displaced and squatting in nearby villages as well as awaiting court orders begotten by big company with links.

Hosting the rally at Torong Soko in Pitas seaside overlooking the Marudu Bay was the surging State Reform Party (Star) who successfully applied and granted a police permit under the recently passed Peaceful Rally Act.

Three-lane roads on all hilly parts in Sabah, says Star Jalibin

By Ezra Haganez
RANAU : The State Reform Party (Star) is of the opinion that all roads on hilly parts in Sabah, especially the lengthy stretches, must be upgraded into at least a three-lane road for safety and convenient usage.

Star state committee member, Jalibin Paidi, said Star leaders have received complaints and they have gone for close observation on these roads and indeed, the single-lane or even two lane roads on hilly parts like those in the Tuaran - Ranau and the Kota Belud - Kudat are in great need of upgrading.

Consumer, Investor confidence down

By Joe Fernandez
KOTA KINABALU : We were earlier at CentrePoint Sabah after church.

One IT shopowner came running towards us. He opened a 2nd outlet at the complex in Jan. He opened an outlet in Megalong last year. It's still losing every month.

He complained that business at CPS, including his, was down 40 per cent in May compared with Jan. He won't make even RM 4, 000 this month to cover the rental at the 2nd CPS outlet. His workers here are down to two from three previously.

The number of workers at his first CPS outlet is down by two to three. For the first time, he's not sure the outlet can break even this month.

Skeletons in Sabah’s closet

Already reeling from a spate of scandals, the
revelation that foreign authorities have been
scrutinising the bank accounts of some
well-connected Malaysians adds a new twist
to the power struggle in the country.

(FMT) - The spotlight on large sums of unaccountable money linked to Chief Minister Musa Aman going in and out of bank accounts overseas is threatening to crack open the Barisan Nasional’s “fixed deposit” state of Sabah.

Allegations and investigations of shady timber deals and money laundering may be the proverbial ‘last straw’ to shatter the ruling coalition’s hopes of hanging on to power.

Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak has announced that investigations into the alleged money laundering by Sabah timber tycoon Michael Chia has been completed and handed to the Attorney-General’s Chambers.

“The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission has conducted investigations into the Michael Chia case which is linked to the Sabah chief minister.

Clean water, dirty loan

By Luke Rintod of FMT

KENINGAU: Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak’s sudden announcement of a RM235 million loan from the federal government to Sabah to upgrade water supply for Keningau alone has caught many here by surprise.

Most people here were sceptical of Najib’s announcement during his trip here last weekend.

One economist from Kuala Pemyu, Dr James Alin, questioned the motive behind the abrupt decision to grant Sabah a loan and not a federal grant, as was the normal procedure.

Development only part of Opposition struggle

By Daniel John Jambun

Sabah Chief Minister Musa Aman makes it seem as if only he and his party, Sabah Umno, can champion the development agenda for the state.

There’s more to life than the so-called development, or patchwork development, flogged by Umno.

Patchwork development is not the people’s idea of development.

Musa, as everyone knows, gets chicken feed from Putrajaya by way of development funds.

Sabah MyKad Scam a la NRD a RCI Red Herring

By Joe Fernandez

The on-going probe into a bogus MyKad scam at the Tawau National Registration Department (NRD) has been touted as a timely curtain-raiser to the proposed Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) into the illegal immigrant phenomenon in Sabah.

It has been hailed as proof enough that the Federal Government means business on national security.

In fact, it’s nothing of that sort.

The RCI is not about bogus MyKads flooding the state, or the “rampant” issuance of citizenships which has emerged as another red herring, but rather the alleged circumvention of the Federal Constitution article on citizenship by operation of law.

Is it true Kinabalu Park and Poring Hot Spring now under Singapore company?

By Ezra Haganez
RANAU : The Star Reform Party (star) head for Ranau division, Jalibin Paidi, had asked the Barisan Nasional state government if it is true that management of the two popular tourist attractions in Ranau had been "surrendered" to Singapore !

Jalibin said it has been a hot topic among people in Ranau that the Kinabalu Park, whole or part of it, and the popular Poring Hot Spring near here had its management "transferred" or "surrendered" from Malaysian authority to Singapore companies.

Sabah villagers outraged by road to nowhere

By Luke Rintod of FMT

The current government has done poorly in terms of maintaining Sabah's roads and rural infrastructure, unlike their predecessors, Usno and PBS regimes claim villagers.

PAPAR: Outraged Dusun villagers from kampungs within the vicinity of the controversial Mini Estate Sejaterah (MESEJ) project in Kg Kinolosodon are demanding to know why the government has neglected to maintain the roads in the villages but see it fit to build a new road to nowhere.

Villagers stormed the MESEJ site a few days ago despite police guarding the access road following a police report by a landowner over logging activities in the MESEJ area, which is allegedly the site for houses for the hardcore poor families.

The villagers wanted to have a look at the ‘beautiful’ new road and at the same time check the felled logs believed to have been illegally extracted from a privately owned site nearby.

Jeffrey accepts ex-CM’s challenge but…

By Raymond Tombung of FMT

Jeffrey Kitingan has welcomed Harris Salleh's challenge to debate the issue of Kuala Lumpur colonising Sabah on condition it is open to the international media, among others.

KOTA KINABALU: State Reform Party (STAR) Sabah chairman Jeffrey Kitingan is willing debate with former chief minister Harris Salleh if the latter is “formally appointed” by the federal and state governments to represent their viewpoints.

Describing Harris’ invitation as “a golden opportunity”, he said the debate would be a “historic” one and should be open to the international media.

“As far as STAR is concerned, this will be our golden opportunity to publicise the whole issue of Sabah’s position in Malaysia to the global community.

“So let’s not do it half way. Let’s make this a historic debate which will be judged not only by Malaysians but by other governments and peoples of the world,” Jeffrey said.

Sabah land tussle: Villagers hear chainsaws again

By Luke Rintod of FMT

BELURAN: Villagers at a remote settlement near here are again being squeezed by Sabah Forestry Department officers who want the Dusun farmers to clear out of a ‘forest’ or risk arrest and being hauled to court for encroaching into government land.

The leader of some 150 affected families, Jaipin Mohigal, said the villagers were warned by two forestry officials who came to their settlement at Kg Koiboton Darat, Tangkarason on May 3 to leave the place as it is forest reserve land.

Star dares Sabah CM to debate on 'colonialism'

KOTA KINABALU:  Sabah Chief Minister Musa Aman has stirred a hornet's nest by his statement in the local media on Tues on "the Opposition lying about the state being colonised by the Malaya-run Federal Government".

 

The State Reform Party (Star), for one, wants Musa to prove his allegations of the Opposition lying instead of "hiding beyond vague, sweeping and meaningless statements".

 

The state cabinet holding meetings, the state government co-operating with the Federal Government or being pawned off with announcements of measly fund allocations by the latter "does not mask the reality that Sabah has been colonised", according to Star in a prepared press statement. "The evidence of internal colonization is all around us."

 

"We challenge him to a public debate on the topic: Is Sabah still a colony?" said Star deputy chairman Daniel John Jambun. "Demokrasi Sabah (Desah) the NGO can make the arrangements."

 

RCI PATI: Rakyat Sabah marah

"Kerajaan yang dipimpin oleh UMNO tidak serius
menangani isu pendatang asing di Sabah"

By Luke Rintod of FMT

KOTA KINABALU: Rakyat Sabah marah dengan sikap ‘acuh tak acuh’ pemimpin-pemimpin Kerajaan Persekutuan menangani isu pendatang asing tanpa izin (PATI) di negeri itu.

Pengerusi Parti Reformasi Negeri (Star) Sabah, Dr Jeffrey Kitingan berkata kalau betul sudah setuju kenapakah Perdana Menteri (Datuk

Seri Najib Tun Razak) dan timbalannya (Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin) teragak-agak untuk mengumumkannya ketika mereka berada di Sabah baru-baru ini.

STAR Sabah kesal pembentukan Malaysia dilakukan tergesa gesa oleh pemimpin terdahulu

Oleh: KULI KULI AK

Datuk Dr Jeffrey berucap ketika melancarkan Parti
Star di DUN Kemabong.

KEMABONG: Pemimpin terdahulu telah membuat keputusan tergesa-gesa dalam persetujuan pembentukan Malaysia melalui penyatuan Tanah Melayu, Sabah, Sarawak dan Singapura. Ini adalah antara punca utama hak asasi rakyat Sabah sepertimana yang terkandung dalam 20 Perkara mudah dimanipulasikan oleh pihak persekutuan.

Negara Brunei dan Singapura yang kini jauh lebih maju dan pesat membangun malah memiliki ekonomi yang jauh lebih baik berbanding Sabah selepas mereka tidak meneruskan untuk bersama dalam pembentukkan Malaysia pada ketika itu (Singapura keluar dari Malaysia tahun 1965).

Old lady dies in a hut waiting for "hijacked" PPRT house

By Dr Nicholas James Guntobon
KENINGAU : Two days ago, an old lady, a bona fide Sabahan, in her 70s who had been living alone for years in an old shack (look at the hut in the piucture) in Kampung Ulu Kauran near here died without seeing her application for a more decent house under PPRT being approved after years of pleading.

Kg Ulu Kauran is in Liawan, and was not allocated a proper Kampung Development and Security Committee (JKKK). The kampung was put under the JKKK Kampung Ulu Patikang instead.

Muhyiddin's election promises in Kadamaian an insult, says SAPP man

By Ezra Haganez

KOTA BELUD : Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) said the recent pledge made by DPM Muhyiddin Yassin to asphalt six important rural roads in the Kadamaian state constituency next year is an insult to the people's intelligence.

SAPP's Kota Belud CLC vice head, Peter Marajin said the Kadamaian folks were not amused when Muhyiddin further revealed that he had instructed Minister of Rural Development and Regional, Shafei Apdal, to bring forward the fund for the purpose from 2014 to next year.

Star: Rich Sabah poorest state in Malaysia a paradox

KOTA KINABALU: Sabahans know the difference between wealth and poverty and they don't need former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, who "squatted" on them for 22 years and Petronas, to "insult their intelligence on the difference between the two situations".

That's the challenge from the State Reform Party (Star) on Mahathir's take in the local media on Wed forecasting Sabah will be the richest state soon in Malaysia in terms of natural resources.

Star Decries Attempts To 'Belittle' Jeffrey's

KOTA KINABALU: The State Reform Party (Star) is not amused by Sukau State Assemblyman, Saddi Abdul Rahman's alleged attempts to 'belittle' party Chief, Jeffrey Kitingan's political struggle for Sabah and Sarawak all these years.

"Saddi is indulging in the politics of distraction and disruption by harping on Jeffrey moving from party to party before finally settling on Star," said a Star Deputy Chairman, Daniel John Jambun. "Saddi even had the cheek to suggest that Jeffrey will eventually abandon the first party he has ever headed in his life."

Muhyiddin snubs RCI in Sabah

By Luke Rintod of FMT

KOTA KINABALU: Both Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak and his deputy Muhyiddin Yassin were not in Kuala Lumpur during yesterday’s massive Bersih 3.0 rally.

The sit-in rally calls for electoral reforms including the purging of “illegals” from the the electoral rolls, an issue that is especially prevalent in Sabah. Najib was in Sarawak and Muhyiddin was in Sabah.

Bersih 3.0: Fight For the Future!

KOTA KINABALU: BERSIH Sabah 3.0 will go on as planned today at Padang Merdeka at 2pm – 4pm in spite of resistances put up by various parties as reported in the media.

“We are members of the public; therefore we are entitled to attend the programme if we wish to. Too much has been put at stake for fellow Malaysians. Civil liberties are being threatened, we must act now!” says BERSIH Sabah spokesperson Andrew Ambrose, also known as Atama.