KOTA KINABALU, March 4 — Pictures of Sabah’s lack of development spread across social media have exposed Barisan Nasional leaders failure to bring progress to the resource-rich state, said opposition lawmaker Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan.
He said that photographs of the Sabah’s “pathetic development”, most recently the ramshackle classroom with no walls in SK Penimbawan in Tuaran, served as a reminder that the government headed by Umno has not brought about the change it has promised.
“Sabah Umno BN leaders should wake up and do their homework and highlight the pathetic state of development in Sabah and stop fooling themselves and Sabahans and then decide whether they should demand repeat demand for full or partial autonomy with regards to federal development funds for Sabah” said Jeffrey.
The Star Reform Party president pointed out several incidents bolstered by telling photos, which he claimed were reflective of Sabah’s lack of development including the photos which had started the buzz.
“A week ago, it was the incident in Pitas where a make-shift drag-cart led by a buffalo was used to send a sick person to hospital as there was no proper road. Then there were the photographs of the school without classroom walls which attracted the attention of the prime minister who who tweeted for the Chief Secretary to investigate.
Jeffrey also targeted Deputy Prime Minister cum Education Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin for the failure to provide SK Penimbawan with proper facilities despite announcing an RM1 billion allocation to rebuild and repair more than 600 schools in Sabah and Sarawak.
“Another picture shows a water-well in Kg Tagaroh, Kota Marudu, where 13 villagers share tapping for their daily water needs. Incidentally, Kota Marudu is the home constituency of the Water, Energy and Green Technology Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Dr Maximus J Ongkili who seems powerless as the financial purse strings are controlled by the Malayan federal government.”
He also highlighted the plight of some 13 villages between Beaufort and Tenom who have no means of transport other than a train which often breaks down.
“With Sabah Railways now under Keretapi Tanah Melayu things appear to heading nowhere. When will the BN government be building the road link? In comparison, rural roads even in Felda settlements in the remotest part of Malaya are sealed right up to the staircase of the settlers’ homes,” he said.
He then derided Umno and BN leaders from Sabah for the conditions highlighted in the images, and suggesting that the state should seek full autonomy in handling of the development funds.
