Government allocations based on needs can provide both socio-economic justice, effective outcomes and unite the people. Using racist or extremist sentiments to justify the distribution of government allocations will not only be divisive but also lead to cronyism, corruption and abuse of power on the use of government funds and resources.
In Malaysia, we have the 1MDB scandal that will cost the country RM52 billion including interest payments. In Sabah there is the RM9.4 billion Trans Sabah Gas Pipeline (TSGP) and Multi-Product Pipeline (MPP) projects, where 88% or RM8.3 billion of the construction value was paid even though only 13% of UNAUDITED work was done. Imagine if these huge sums of monies could be utilised for the people of Malaysia and Sabah.
PH had implemented a policy that any savings from projects would be returned back to the Ministry or state concerned. PH’s efforts to reclaim the RM 8.8 billion paid for UNAUDITED work done from the TSGP and MPP projects so that this huge sum of money can be returned to Sabah to implement infrastructure projects that are more beneficial and meaningful to Sabahans. These billions of ringgit claimed back can be better used to build more roads, fresh water supply, wider and faster internet coverage and connectivity and provision of electricity in Sabah.
Using racist or extremist sentiments in Budget allocations have not helped Sabah which remains the poorest state in Malaysia. The use of such sentiments have worsened abuse of power until a former Prime Minister who has been convicted and sentenced to 12 years jail and RM210 million fines has been granted to RM100 million house by the Federal government. How will granting a RM100 million government property to one man help the poor in Sabah?
The 2022 Budget of RM322.5 billion is the largest in history but how much will the poor in Sabah, especially the bumis, benefit as compared to the bumis in Peninsular Malaysia? Budget 2022 will allocate RM11.4 billion specially for bumiputera development but how much of that sum will be channelled back to Sabah. To-date the Federal government has refused to disclose these figures, particularly the income disparity between the bumis in Sabah and Peninsular Malaysia.
Sabah Received 6.9% Of Development Expenditure Under The 2022 Budget As Compared To 9.3% Under PH 2020 Budget.
Even though PN and BN won Sabah in the state general elections last year, Sabah was treated worse off in the 2022 Budget as compared to PH. Total development expenditure in the 2022 Budget was increased to RM75.6 billion as compared to RM56 billion in PH’s 2020 Budget. However, Sabah still received the same amount of RM5.2 billion development expenditure in the 2022 Budget as PH had provided for in the 2020 Budget.
In other words, Sabah was worse off in receiving 6.9% of development expenditure under the 2022 Budget as compared to 9.3% under PH’s 2020 Budget. If Sabah were to be given the same 9.3% of development expenditure in the 2022 Budget that PH had provided for in the 2020 Budget, then Sabah should be receiving RM7 billion and not RM5.2 billion in the 2022 Budget.
This unfairness also extends to allocations of a mere RM345 million to non-bumis, which is a mere 0.14% of the total 2022 Budget. DAP does not object to the RM 11.4 billion provided to the bumi community but non-bumis should be given more that is commensurate with their 30% population in the country.
The new ruling of the Prime Minister Ismail Sabri imposing bumi quotas in new business sectors such as rental of shopping complexes will again make the non-bumis feel marginalised. The fear is that there will be many empty lots in shopping complexes just like the many empty shop lots or houses that could not be sold to bumis. The government should step in and purchase empty lots or rent the shopping lots instead of leaving them vacant.
This fear of being marginalised is real when alcohol sales are banned in sundry shops or Chinese medicine halls in the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur even though they are sold to non-Muslim and not Muslims. To implement bans on business practices or customary lifestyles of non-Muslims that has been going on undisturbed since 1957, is unacceptable when Muslims are not involved or affected at all.
For this reason, Sabah must protect and preserve their unique harmony and heritage. DAP will stand together with all parties opposing any attempt to interfere with the basic constitutional right of freedom of religion in the country.
This is the reason why the Memorandum of Understanding(MOU) signed between PH leaders and the Prime Minister contained a basic condition that the government must agree to amend the Federal Constitution to uphold the status of Sabah in accordance with the 1963 Malaysia Agreement. This MOU requiring a constitutional amendment will be the first step forward to restore the rights and status of Sabah.