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Shafie Apdal’s first nine months ( February 2019) in office – A flashback!

Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal.

Dr Mahathir did not come to campaign for Party Warisan Sabah and was saying on the night of 9th May 2018 that Warisan should have secured 35 seats instead of a dismal 21 seats. Now Shafie Apdal is claiming 45 seats in the Dewan.

How did it happen and what was his intention.

Well, we all know that absolute power corrupts absolutely beginning with the repeal of TYT term and giving him unlimited extension. Many opposed the move but those who have supported him did so to curry favour with Shafie with the hope of getting personal rewards…typical Sabah politicians.

Soon after it was established by the court that Warisan became the legit government, one can observe the key appointments, the police force and the Minister of Finance also taken up by Shafie and defying his own promise not to follow the footsteps of his predecessor Musa Aman.

After 9 months in power it was later admitted that the state had in fact Rm4 billion in government reserve. In the beginning it was reported by Shafie that the treasury has empty coffer which readily made people believe.

Six Sabah lawmakers from Barisan Nasional (BN) have defected to Parti Warisan Sabah giving Shafie the majority to form a government.

Warisan became the state government only through the support of UPKO (BN). Without UPKO, Shafie could not become Chief Minister and Wilfred Tangau would not be appointed Deputy Chief Minister. The two live for each other. Warisan leaders were given a number of federal ministry posts, Darell, VK Liew and Mohd Din Ketapi and their choice of Sabahan personnel.

The spate of fire in the squatter colonies in Likas/Sepanggar, Banggi, and elsewhere have suspicion ignited. All these fires only occurred in squatter colonies all over Sabah and this is unique and devoid of logic. During the fires people are seen rushing to take away televisions, refrigerators, mattresses etc etc, but not their personal documents. Those affected by the fire are known PTIs (illegals) and the fires keep happening only in those squatter colonies. When one puts two and two together, the answer is simple.

Then the State Minister of Law and Native Affairs Aidi Moktar out from nowhere said the government would review the law on whether the Bugis and Jawa communities can be considered as natives in Sabah. Why suddenly this? Is it because of the fear that Datu Akjan is taking away the Suluk and Tausug vote bank from Warisan to Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia’s (PPBM)? It seems as though there is a grand design to distort the Sabah political landscape and cause a racial imbalance for political purpose.

Then thousands turned up at NRD centres and by looking at the sea of crowd, the people are mostly foreign looking individuals which the local people know who they are. And worst still the state director of NRD said that the department was conducting census.

If we visit the CM’s office or even Jaujan Sambakong the local government minister’s office, one can see who are those that come to their office, its like a TAMU ground.

There was even a report that thousands have been issued late birth certificates in several parts of Sabah with substantial population of immigrants.

With all these happenings in Sabah the last nine months, for sure the Special Branch must be reporting to Prime Minister Dr Mahathir. And those receiving big favours from the government especially the millions changing hands at the Harbour Trade legal firm in Kota Kinabalu must be worried now. Naturally nothing is secret anymore especially with social media i.e.Facebook, Whatsapp and blogs that could go viral and influence the course of events.

Anyway, how come a friendly Dr Mahathir who was on the Warisan side and now suddenly PPBM is being painted bad?

There is no credible opposition in the state.

The influx of more PTIs and these people becoming bold and arrogant after Warisan victory are very obvious.

Hence, if PPBM comes to Sabah as an opposition to monitor the activities of the government it makes sense. Bersatu is part of the PH central government. Only PPBM or its appointed ally in Sabah can provide check and balance. The rule of law must take place. Even Najib has been charged in court, others in Sabah that wore the Malaysia Anti Corruption Commission’s (MACC) infamous orange lock-up T-shirt uniform must make it known that MACC has a case against them.

Any uprising in the future is possible when a large population of illegal immigrants is present in the state and comfortable with a sitting government. Sabah is facing an existential treat and I’m certain  Shafie is aware. That’s why today it was reported that SABAH Chief Minister Mohd Shafie Apdal plans to meet the Philippines ambassador soon to raise Sabah’s concerns that a security threat in the southern Philippines might spill over to Sabah. See here.

The fall of USNO in 1976 was a similar threat known to the Prime Minister at that time. History will repeat if not careful!

*The author, Selvaraja Somiah is a geologist turned freelance writer.
**The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of Sabah Baru News.

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