Budget snub a ‘blessing in disguise’

Although there is no Budget cheer for Sabah
and Sarawak, the people in the two states
can now plan for alternative solutions in
the coming general election.

By Luke Rintod of FMT

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah and Sarawak, which have been treated as Barisan Nasional’s “fix-deposit”, have been sidelined in Budget 2013.

But it is a “blessing in disguse” because the people in the two states can now plan for alternative solutions.

It appears that Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, his advisers and the ruling BN are very confident that both states won’t slip away from BN grip at the coming general election.

This explains why they could afford not to deal with the prevailing “touchy” issues in Sabah and Sarawak.

7 fingernail problems not to ignore

Spoon nails
Spoon nails (koilonychia) are soft nails that look scooped out. The depression usually is large enough to hold a drop of liquid. Often, spoon nails are a sign of iron deficiency anemia or a liver condition known as hemochromatosis, in which your body absorbs too much iron from the food you eat. Spoon nails can also be associated with heart disease and hypothyroidism.

Terry's nails
With the condition known as Terry's nails, the tip of each nail has a dark band. Sometimes this can be attributed to aging. In other cases, it can be a sign of a serious underlying condition, such as liver disease, congestive heart failure or diabetes.

No major budget cheer for Sabah, Sarawak

Waiting for vital direct-benefit goodies,Sabahans
and Sarawakians were again left behind in Prime
Minister Najib Tun Razak's budget 2013.

KOTA KINABALU: Instead of lifting the crippling 1980 cabotage policy, Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak today announced a price uniformity scheme to neutralise costs differences between consumer products in West and East Malaysia.

The catch however is that the scheme is only applicable in Kedai Rakyat 1Malaysia (KR1M) stores in Sabah, Sarawak  and Labuan.

Najib said 57 more stores will be set up throughout Sabah and Sarawak.

Sabah is the second largest state covering 73,997 sq km while Sarawak is sprawling comprising  124,450 km2.

Battle for Tambunan: Pairin unshakable?

Despite views that Joseph Pairin Kitingan
failed as a leader, it is unlikely that
the Kadazandusun community will vote
against him in the 13th general election.

TAMBUNAN: Opposition parties and their candidates are lining up to have another go at toppling Deputy Chief Minister Joseph Pairin Kitingan from a seat that he has held for over a generation.

Others have tried and failed but the times are changing and the opposition is gaining momentum mostly because of the growing perceptions of corruption in high places and the slow pace of development in the resource-rich state.

Now a veteran of Sabah’s murky politics, Pairin, can expect to be challenged by candidates from State Reform Party (STAR) and PKR, to name two, in the Tambunan state constituency in the coming 13th general election.

The Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) president can also expect challenges from several independents for the state seat which he has held for well over three decades since 1976 when he won the seat for Berjaya.

The septuagenarian politician who many say has become irrelevant in the Umno-led Barisan Nasional state government recently announced that he intended to defend his state and (Keningau) parliamentary seats, one more time.

Slighted by Anwar, SAPP out in the cold

By Luke Rintod of FMT

KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) appears to have parted ways with Pakatan Rakyat after initially showing signs of building ties with the peninsula-based opposition coalition.

The fallout stems from PKR supremo Anwar Ibrahim informing SAPP president Yong Teck Lee that Pakatan was now bringing in Lajim Ukin and Wilfred Bumburing as his new trusted warlords in Sabah.

That decision was made known last month in a meeting room at a hotel here when Anwar met Yong and Jeffrey Kitingan, the Sabah chapter chairman of Sarawak-based State Reform Party (STAR).