Press Statement by Edward Ewol Mujie in Kota Kinabalu on Wednesday, 12^th May 2010:

Sabah needs by-election to receive “goodies” from BN government

Sabah would need more by-election to attract more ‘goodies’ and additional allocation from the BN government to help development, schools and even hospitals. This is evidence that from the past 10 by-elections and now in Sibu, we can see that development and all funding can only be made during a by-election.

In the recent Hulu Selangor by-election, there were so much money being pumped in and allocated to the area, which includes the 130 units of computers and the RM3 million to the Chinese primary school. If there is no by-election, they would not get so much money. In Sibu now, there is a big sum being poured in to carry out various projects, that includes flood mitigation, new roads, special allocation to schools and churches, money for the poor people, and many other goodies. This is the usual tactic used by the BN to attract votes. The only thing we must understand is that, the money is the government money, our money and not the BN’s money. Why only make allocation to the by-election area and not at any other time?

The Kalabakan Member of Parliament for Kalabakan Datuk Gahpur Salleh being speculated that he had submitted his resignation to the Speaker in Parliament and retracted it briefly after an hour, of course all that had been denied. This signified that the people in Merotai, Kalabakan, and Tawau had lost a golden chance to receive development fund among other goodies from the BN government. The Merotai and Kalabakan area has long been neglected by the government for the past many years according to the people there, and they wish to see more development and money coming to the area. The news of the MP’s wish to resign brought hope to them, but it is so brief just like a spark.

It is always the case that the BN will only help the place with by-election, therefore in Sabah should have by-elections to bring in funds and development, especially in the rural areas.

* Edward Ewol Mujie, DAP Sabah Vice Chairman