Sunday October 25, 2009

Recognition of Sept 16 as the day Malaysia was born is long overdue

By LEE YUK PENG

MPs THUMPED their tables as a mark of approval when Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, while replying to a question related to 1Malaysia, announced that Sept 16 would be a public holiday for the peninsula from next year.

To Malaysians living in the peninsula, it may be just another public holiday but Sabahans and Sarawakians see it as a recognition.

Many Sabah and Sarawak MPs from the Barisan, DAP and independent were glad with the announcement and shared the same opinion — that the recognition was long overdue.

“This is not just another public holiday. This is the recognition of the formation of Malay-sia,’’ said Dewan Rakyat Deputy Speaker Datuk Ronald Kiandee (BN — Beluran).

Sept 16 is a public holiday in Sabah in conjuction with the Governor’s birthday.

Three-term MP from Sarawak Alexander Nanta Linggi (BN — Kapit) said: “ This is a real recognition that makes us feel equal.”

Datuk Dr Marcus Mojigoh (BN — Putatan) did not expect anything when he posed the question to Najib when the Dewan Rakyat resumed on Monday.

“I feel good. People of Sabah and Sarawak must be happy and smiling when they heard the announcement,’’ he said.

Dr Chua Soon Bui (Ind — Tawau) said: “Many of my West Malaysian friends do not know the significance of the date.

“With this recognition, we hope there is greater integration under the 1Malaysia concept,” she said.

Dr Chua also said that there was a need to focus on improving the social economic gap and difference in treatment between Sabah, Sarawak and the peninsula.

Citing an example, she said a Sabah civil servant posted to the peninsula receives lower housing and hardship allowance than those from the peninsula who are posted to Sabah.

“Why does such disparity exist? Now, there are about 568 Universiti Malaysia Sabah graduates in education who are waiting for interviews and posting while graduates from other local universities would have already been interviewed and posted,’’ she said.

One might be puzzled by the fact that although Sabah and Sarawak are less developed states, the cost of living there is far higher than that in the peninsula. It is also common during debates for Sabah and Sarawak MPs to lament the poor infrastructure and basic amenities like electricity and water supply in their constituencies while MPs from the peninsula ask about broadband facilities and ICT gadgets.

“Back there, it is about whether to spend money to buy food for the family or to buy school uniforms,’’ said Kiandee.

The March 8 general election also saw changes in the House where both the Speaker and a deputy are from Sabah and Sarawak respectively.

The Barisan Backbenchers’ Club chairman and deputy are also from East Malaysia.

Even with such appointments, a Sabah MP said: “We prefer a ministerial post rather than a Deputy Speaker’s position because financial allocations and development come with it. Local folks can’t understand the role of a Deputy Speaker and how their MP can request for basic amenities.”

Another Deputy Speaker, Datuk Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, arranged for Sarawak folks from his constituency to visit Parliament to show them his task in the Dewan Rakyat.

For many, the Sept 16 public holiday is just a start at getting more attention for Sabah and Sarawak after they helped Barisan Nasional retain control of the Federal Government. Currently, 22 MPs from Sabah and 30 from Sarawak make up the 139 Barisan MPs in the Dewan Rakyat.

In addition, Budget 2010 announced by Najib on Friday brought cheers to MPs from Sabah and Sarawak.

Three ministers expressed gratitude for the RM2.1bil allocated for infrastructure for the two states.

Energy, Green Technology and Water Minis-ter Datuk Peter Chin (BN —Miri) said: “If we get this sort of attention in every Budget, the people of Sabah and Sarawak will be very happy.”

MPs were also happy with the tabling of the Auditor-General’s (AG) report a few days before the Budget was presented as the practice in the past was to table both on the same day.

However, a much needed improvement would be providing the media with copies of the AG’s report. Reporters now have to go around begging MPs to lend them their copies of the reports.

Another report anticipated by many is the Public Accounts Committee’s on the controversial Port Klang Free Zone project, scheduled to be tabled in the house after the Budget debate.

The Dewan Rakyat resumes on Monday.

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