I had always feared an internecine struggle between PR and SAPP in Sabah, thus handing the state to BN on a silver platter. As I noted in my previous piece (http://pkler.blogspot.com.au/2013/04/sabah-elections-how-would-i-vote.html) on how I'd vote, STAR is distinct from STAR and PR and as such they were always less likely to be involved in a fight for the same political space. And so it has proven to be, reading the online media and the comments of my friends. SAPP and PR are orthodox political organisations, using whatever slogans to gain power unlike STAR with is an ideologically driven organisation.
I was rather surprised though that this manifested itself as DAP v SAPP when I expected it o be with PKR instead but clearly my thinking was all wrong. Both are chasing the Chinese vote in the main and hence they keep coming up against each other. Recent events have seen Yong Teck Lee being accused (by DAP and PR in general) as a BN mole and a recipient of good tidings from Project IC. In return we have seen the DAP Likas candidate being accused of serial womanising. This all erupted in an apparent Bollywood style scene in Foh Sang where I'm told YTL was a real gentlemen (yeah right!) in crashing the PR ceramah where he was being badmouthed.
I'm not taking sides here. I just wish to congratulate both sides for their sheer stupidity at attacking each other mercilessly while the elephant in the room laughs his head off.
Congratulation to PR and SAPP. Neither of you deserve to lead Sabah. BN does not even need to campaign does it?
Just stumbled onto your blog. Read through some of your articles but this one somehow made me itch to have a go. You seems to be a decent writer but that's probably because you are a lecturer in Australia. Good job, keep it up. Anyway, back to my itch. I think another factor for the dismal performance of SAPP at the 13th GE is the story floating around Sabah that SAPP took RM80m from Ah Jib Goh to help spoil PR chances at the election. I think this had a major effect on the people's opinion of SAPP. Also a factor to consider is the thinking of Sabahans that when YTL was CM, he did sweet FA for Sabah (and that is ignoring the fact that YTL could not do any thing substantive even if he was the CM!). These and other stories killed SAPP at the 13th GE. As a Sabahan, I am utterly perplexed by my fellow Sabahans thinking that PR is best for Sabah. It is like inviting a stranger to come and take control of your household. I am happy to support PR for Federal Government but state must be controlled by an organic local party like SAPP. Am I making sense or do I sound like a kampong idiot?
ReplyDeleteI understand your frustrations very much, and in the past I'd agree 110% with you about local parties running Sabah affairs. But years of living overseas, years of being a migrant have changed my views somewhat. Now I feel that it would be ideal if Sabah parties run the show but only insofar as they are better that the alternatives. Otherwise I would have to agree that jobs in Australia should be reserved only for those born in Australia. I cannot be a hypocrite. So as I have said before, I am after results, not rhetoric. If a West Malaysian can get us the results, then so be it. We should not be overly-parochial or we end up like Jeffrey Kitingan who said he preferred Taib Mahmud in charge in Sarawak rather than be dictated to across the South China Sea. So Sarawakians have to put up with the biggest thief in Malaysia. Surely a West Malaysian in charge would at least be no worse than this kleptomaniac?
ReplyDeleteI don't see Sabah parties at present being better than the alternatives. Jeffrey's agenda is singular-autonomy. No policies really on how they'll lead the state if this is not forthcoming. No real leaders bar him himself. A very narrow view. SAPP is a political party that clearly only got its support via BN votes in the past. In Batu Sapi YTL finished third. In the recent election SAPP got smashed even in its Luyang stronghold. The most educated and open minded Sabahans (i.e. those in urban areas) decided that Parti Malaya will serve them just nicely. They a telling STAR and SAPP that it is time to sit and talk with PR beause they will vote for a bloc that opposes BN. Reality dictates that post-election it is SAPP and STAR which are in a weaker position and hence it is they who must compromise more.
But we must be clear also that Sabah DAP is a local party. It has a lot of autonomy and is also a classic case of why local is not necessarily better. I know people close to SAPP and their biggest gripe is that Sabah DAP is too power crazy and keep attacking them with unsubstantiated rumours (as you noted). But what to do about this? Ask Lim Guan Eng to intervene? That would suggest that SAPP feels the west Malaysians are better than locals. It would also fly in the face of their autonomy calls. So no, just put up with it and see how sub-standard our politics is compared to semenanjung. Our politicians are our biggest problem. Sabah needs top leadership and among locals, who is there to give us that? Quite frankly on the BN side Musa Aman leads quite well. Masidi Manjun probably could also but salah bangsa. On the opposition side? The kataks Lajim, Bumburing, Jeffrey? Look how well Penang has done under the leadership of a man born in Johor and largely resident in Melaka? We need to remove our blinkers. By all means go for locals first but if they don't deliver (and they haven't for so many years now) then what is wrong with going for Parti Malaya? I'm glad Sabahans did go that way. Now Sabah parties have the opportunity to reform and move forwards, and not just talk the narrow, simple talk they always do. It is time to face the reality that the Sabah for Sabahans talk is good for gaining sympathy but not votes when PR also have stated that they will give Sabah autonomy. Their main point of differentiation has gone, and they have shown that they have no Plan B.