Seats, seats and seats! What about the issues? - Yong

Yong Teck Lee
KOTA KINABALU (May 27): Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) president Datuk Yong Teck Lee is disgusted by the ongoing scramble for seats among political parties, including those from seberang (across the seas), as though the seats belong to them.
In fact and in a democracy, all the seats belong to the people, not the political parties, he said.
'People want to know what the political parties are fighting for. What can the people expect from the parties and leaders if they won? So far, people, including myself, have no idea what some political parties and leaders are fighting for. So far, the politicians talk only about seats, seats and more seats. 'How about talking about the issues for this coming Sabah elections? Don't be like, 'Dogs chase cars' without any idea what to do after the dog has caught up with the car!' he said in a statement on Tuesday.
Unlike the pre-2008 era of a dominant Malaya-centric federal government, Yong said today's new Malaysia political landscape allows Sabah and Sarawak to claim autonomy.
'Do other parties share SAPP's unwavering stand on Sabah ICs for genuine Malaysians in Sabah? Do they commit to demand the return of Labuan to Sabah?
'How about the crucially meaningful reverting of the title of the Head of State to TYT Negara (and not TYT Negeri)?
'Everyone, including Malaya parties, have joined the bandwagon of MA63 after the window of opportunity opened in 2008 when BN first lost its two-thirds parliamentary majority.
'But what is the stand of the political parties on the 40% net revenue and the Territorial Sea Act 2012? Can the federal government not drop its delaying tactics at the courts of law?' asked Yong.
He also questioned the strange silence of PH parties and BN parties on the fulfilment of MA63.
'Which party will fearlessly champion that the 40% net revenue claim is RM2.6 billion per annum? Does any of the parties in PH and BN champion that 35% of parliamentary seats belong given back to Sabah and Sarawak?
'Which parties will commit to land reforms for Sabahans so that Sabahans do not become landless now and in the future?
'Why does Sabah have to accept the import of overpriced, substandard kiosks (or gerai) from Peninsula to Sabah? Is Sabah so incapable of making simple things like kiosks? What do we have KKIP (Kota Kinabalu Industrial Park) for?
'Why does Sabah tolerate the use of toilet contractors for toilets at the Kota Kinabalu airport? This is a laughing matter that shames Sabahans.
'Why does Sabah accept the KL companies to manage car parks and car parking apps? Have Sabahans become so useless?' he added.

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