SEPTEMBER 7 — In the late 60s through early 70s every other Sabahan who visited KL was known as a timber tycoon, going to be one, related to one, or is a top aide to one. Those in the nocturnal business who couldn’t wait for these tycoons to visit the city headed to Kota Kinabalu (KK).

The nightclub scene in KL practically relocated to KK. Entertainers (striptease acts and singers) and bargirls (escorts) earned up to three times more over there. The Usno government had awarded timber concessions quite generously.

They really rumble

Datuk Seri Musa Aman is the 14th chief minister of the state while Tan Sri Adenan Satem is Sarawak’s fifth. Lim Guan Eng is only Penang’s fourth chief minister.

Although Penang experienced the first change of the ruling party in 1969 when Gerakan beat Alliance, it is Sabah, which went through the most number of ruling party changes with BN-Usno being toppled by Berjaya in 1976, and PBS taking over in 1985, followed by BN-Umno in 1994.

In the 1994 elections, the winning party leader had to camp outside the Istana gates for 36 hours before being admitted for the swearing-in by the governor. But his government collapsed just two weeks later owing to defections. That gave origin to the term katak (party hopper).

Earlier in 1985, when the result was 25:23 seats, the leader of the losing party was actually sworn in as the chief minister using the six nominated seats (23 plus 6) to claim his majority. State Attorney-General Datuk Nicholas Fung rubbished this logic as the proviso was designed for the winning party to strengthen its position in the state legislative assembly, and not intended for usurping power.

The rightful chief minister was sworn in hours later. He had to call for another state election the following year and increased his party’s standing from 25 seats to 34.

All major ethnicities have been represented in the highest echelons of the state government, including three Chinese chief ministers.

Sabah has seven BN component parties, namely Umno, MCA, Gerakan, LDP, PBRS, UPKO and PBS. SAPP resigned recently. This is compared to five in peninsula and four in Sarawak. This region is also known for consistently having the most multi-cornered contests, with up to seven contestants in a constituency, resulting in the most number of deposit losers.

After a dozen years of relative quiet, we can expect fireworks soon from Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal, a former vice president who resigned from Umno just over two months ago. He hasn’t joined Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s new party. Pundits are quite certain he will use the 20-point Malaysia Agreement as his political thrust.

She wants to serve

Joana wants to serve Sabah with full gusto.

Joana Ajadap is a Dusun-Rungus-Kimaragam born in Marang Parang (population 400). She has three elder sisters and a younger brother. And for perspective, Marang Parang is about one hour’s car ride (not all granite roads) from the main city, Kudat.

The village is also very close to Kampung Simpang Mengayau, where the famed Tip of Borneo is located. Her mom is from Tingkalanon (population 750), which is about a 45-minute drive from Kota Marudu.

To stress how idyllic life was, Joana says anybody can borrow a sampan that’s docked there and return after use. And if any local needs a small plot of land for personal use, i.e. a beach house, he can build with the approval of the village chief.

Usually a polis pondok will serve several villages. Joana has only heard of domestic scandals concerning the romantic kind and the occasional accidents at sea.

After passing her STPM on her second attempt, in the same year, she applied to join UiTM in 1999.

Upon obtaining a degree in Information Studies in 2002 she accepted a six-month contract with a public university in KK.

During a routine signing ceremony she uttered in German (studied the language in UiTM), "Bitte hier unterschreiben. Danke” (Please sign here. Thank you) to the professor, on delivering the collaboration document.

As a result the University of Duisburg-Essen don invited her to study Masters in Computer Engineering in Duisburg-Essen, even arranging two jobs for her to pay for food and lodging.

Unfortunately she had to leave two-and-a-half years later, in 2006, because of a change in policy — free tuition was abolished. But she did see a bit of Europe while in Germany. Back home she secured the position as a student counsellor in another public university. It wasn’t challenging but she stuck on for two years.

In 2009, she devoted herself to working for her church — Basel Christian Church — for free. She changed bulbs, swept and vacuumed, painted walls, drove everybody, and cooked during fellowships. After 10 months, the pastor pulled her aside and said that although the church was grateful, but thought she could do much more in the non-spiritual world. Maybe her cooking did her in? And she was offered a bank officer’s job the following month.

Hardly six months on she received the best news in her life — she was accepted into the civil service through the prestigious PTD (Pegawai Tadbir Diplomatik) route. This was 2010, and Joana was 33 years old, beating the age cap by two years.

Her first posting was to the Ministry of Education, and after she completed Intan’s Diploma in Public Administration in 2013, she was transferred to JPA (Public Service Department) in the Pensions Division. Then she was selected to join the NBOS (National Blue Ocean Strategy) unit, which is the secretariat of the massive 1SERVE initiative.

About 10 days ago she started her 20-month Masters in Sustainable Development Practice with the USM KL campus under a JPA full scholarship.

"I want to serve Malaysia with all the gusto I can muster because I love this amazing country with all my heart.” — Joana Agadap.

Postscript

In Joana’s surrounding villages, she thinks 80 per cent are Christians. KDMR (Kadazan/Dudun/Murut/Rungus) is the umbrella term for the approximately 60 communities (tribes). Joana’s case is a continuing NEP success story.

* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail Online.