New era for M'sia esp Sabah now...

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at the DAP forum in Kota Kinabalu on 916

Paper for a new era in Malaysia especially Sabah with deep rooted critical issues by Joshua Kong

This Malaysia House was built with much sacrifice and some blood and lots of sweat money for 45 years and now we need to rebuild/refurbish this rotten Malaysia house with a new one. We have spent a lot of money amounting to trillions of Ringgit for 45 years and some say it is 51 years when it had lots of resources but now we need to rebuild/refurbish this Malaysia House or allow it to rot and build a totally new one for the next decades. But do we have the money and resources to do that?

So we have decided to move towards a new era in Malaysia but how do we do that unless we resolve quite a lot of pressing fundamental national issues when Sabah itself has it own set of critical issues. Many people may want to go forward at accelerated pace but many also pulling it backwards.

So we need to move forwards but first we need to do away with known issues also taboo subjects. We are in dilemma of darkness.

Honestly we cannot avoid those topics (race, religion, & culture) and such topics or deep rooted issues are the stumbling block to real progress. So we need to overcome them openly with an open mind.

Tunku Aziz, an ex teacher of Sabah College where I studied 1965-68, for new era we need to overcome these items of corruption and abuses -
1. As you have spoken recently about the corruption destroying any nation, such corruption are complex and likely not easily detectible and you tell me how do we eradicate corruption for new era in Malaysia especially in Sabah?

2. Do you know that our currency notes in various denominations in your pockets are of varied quality which may look similar but on closer examination, you can see various discrepancies in their printing? We may be talking in term of trillions of Ringgit over a few decades. With one master design and precision printing or minting, how can we observe such varied positions on such notes. So how do we know we are using really legal notes or legalised official fakes ones? You can check that out in your pockets. I have lodged Police Report in 2004.

3. How do we eradicate poverty in the nation especially in Sabah when it is a trap to keep most people poor so that at every general elections, such voters would be bribed easily for RM50-300 each. It is a vicious cycle as who would have such money to bribe the voters? Such people with ill gotten gains would likely get back the 'handouts' after winning the election. So how to break this cycle of corruption arising from abuses of power?

4. Another discreet abuses of power and corruption is about the Saham Amanah Sabah (SAS) after losing almost RM400m with impunity was recently revived by 800m new units paid by the State Government for RM200m at 25 cents per unit when the market price was 17 cents. Without full details of the deals coinciding with Permatang Pauh by elections, and commercially it is not understood of the generosity of RM64 million above the market price. It was 15th August and now 16th September - more than 21 days, there is no listed price yet. I want a white paper and a proper inquiry into the deal as it is diverting public fund to benefit 45,000 and likely irregularity in the process.

5. When we have a system of national Governance of several bodies in a Parliamentary Monarchy in sort of democracy including the Rulers' Conference, the YDP Agong, the Legislative, the Executive, the Judiciary, and the Press plus the regulatory and enforcement agencies like the Police and the Anti Corruption Agency, why should we have to endure such known degradation of such dimensions likely perpetuated by the same groups? Would we ever have a Mr Lee Kuan Yew in Malaysia? So in Malaysia we have a terrible problem when the heads are rotten. Maybe in Malaysia we have an unwritten competition of some people to be richest by ill gotten gains?

6. We all know what corruption can do to the nation in violation of our civil and political rights. Whether we like it or not, the word corruption may not be in the Federal Constitution proper, it is not in the Universal Human Rights, but it is in the Islamic Human Rights in Article 17 in the words of "away from vice and moral corruption". How do we relate to this paralysis of corruption in all aspects - civil, social, politics and others in a Muslim majority nation when there is a total lack of political will as the role of Anti Corruption Agency is questionable?

7. Food and Fuel Prices Upheaval is the worst in the recent times especially after 5th June, 2008. While the blame is on the global fuel and food dimensions, there are more reasons for the need of such sudden reduction of fuel subsidies. Amongst the reasons are the level of corruption at the high levels is not decreasing and the nation is forced to have the sudden reduction in fuel subsidy resulting in terrible hardship for most people in vicious circle of meeting costs of living on fixed incomes. Would the nation crumble sooner under the scourge of official corruption and mismanagement?

8. The latest provision of RM100 per child under 18 years up to 5 in a family should be provided for a non polygamous family as polygamous families can afford the extra wives..

9. 2009 Budget is an indicator of the nation in turmoil when the highest deficit budget of RM208 billion is quite meaningless with an operating expenditure of RM154 billion and development expenditure of RM54 billion. Without full details on the operating expenditure, an allocation of RM86.3 billion was made for fixed charges and grants. Fixed charges and grants would likely indicate payments for past financial committments - a pay up time for previous mismanagement? We also have two other major parallel fundings namely the 9th Malaysia Plan and the 5 Economic Development Corridors. How would the Government present its performance on each category regularly given the limitation of funds? Would the Government have the needed funds when there was an external debt of RM267 billions?

10. In Sabah since 1963, we had changes of State Governments every 9 years since the first State General Elections in 1967 until 1994 subject to a power grab. Earlier in 1985, there was an aborted power grab. Most state General Elections had been rigged and the Federal Government one way or another has a hand in that. Then since 1994, the 7 Chief Ministers were rotated for better or worst. At the national level, the voters do not decide the Prime Ministers as the Presidents of UMNO have been at the helm of the Federal Government for 51/45 years not rotated amongst the BN component parties. As constitutional abuses have a correlation with the abuses of power and corruption, such entrenchment of top leaders is an issue to be addressed for a new era.

11. In Sabah, BN is led by Sabah UMNO since the power grab of 1994 and it is quite hard to dislodge that power hold for a complicity of factors - fear, dubious citizens and faulty electoral rolls plus money politics. I believe many people want to see a new era but how would this new era be better given the state of political play in Sabah vis-a-vis Federal Government? While other Peninsula States prefer their own people to dominate the local politics, Sabah's fate is dependent on the promises of Federal based parties at elections. When the choice of state and federal based parties is not so defined for the voters - money politics had been the decider. Some have championed for autonomy but such development can only come with a determined state party or group of state parties. When we have federal based parties dominant in Sabah, the diluted attention is inevitable with more fixed overheads and spending time in the Federal capital. So how do we go for new era even after 916?

12. Sabah has a problem when 916 occurs at the Federal Government. Would there be a change at the Sabah's State Government? In Sabah we had been led by rolled over people of the previous state government to the next since 1976 until 1994 and slight variations after that but still the same groups of people in office. Would it be just changing shirts with different logos and no new era? We need to know how would the scenario be when 916 becomes a reality so that we are prepared for it. I have two Writs of Summons on GE 2004 and GE 2008 at the Kota Kinabalu High Courts with the mention of the second one on 7th October, 2008.



(to be continued)

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13. Mathathir and the social contract.

Would Tun Dr Mahathir prepare the the socalled social contract in a statutory declaration?

Mahathir has yet to respond to our allegation of Project Mathathir on project IC.

Irrespective Mahathir wants to back track on the award of citizenships to non Malays or non Muslims in Peninsula Malaya, Sabah would have to address the project IC of 1-2 millions out of 4-5 millions dubious citizens in Malaysia and Sabah also need to re-consider the item in the twenty point of no secession.


14. I have a Mission in politics - after a wilderness of 40 years and the strength derived from that survival and now into the promised land for a new era. I had been a whistle blower since the dark era of USNO, and now someone has come up with the new dawn. This new dawn or new era would be meaningless if nothing shift substantially.


15. Some people talks of autonomy for Sabah, and some people talks of secession, and some people talk of the review of Malaysia Agreement, I would like to emphasize on indemnity for the 45 years of failings, failures, faltering and neglect in Sabah. Without the sizeable funds to be handled by a new system, Sabah would degrade further especially the fossil fuel runs out soon. Sabah is already at the worst of every indicator even with the prevailing natural resources especially we have signed away the crude oil forever for 5% only of Production Sharing Contracts' pre-agreed price.


16. We would appeal to the Government with the effort of the opposition to resolve the major pressing issues with appropriate indemnity for all the shortcomings to enable Sabah to be developed in line with the national status. NGOs are expected to compliment the Governments in development efforts but when the Governments failed, the NGOs should be allowed to takeover whatever faltered, failed or abandoned projects to be funded accordingly. The Government should allow a special body to be known as MyPAW or Malaysia Private Accounts Watch in the vein of the Public Accounts Committee of the Parliament to provide the additional check and balance of public funds. Government and its agencies should also be penalised for failures and neglects in the context of consumerism


17. I have also lodged 26 Police Reports (2004-2008) worth RM11.441 trillions. As Government does give reward for information of crimes, any such rewards as in indemnities would be handled by a trust funds managed by me and others for the development of new era Sabah. Sabah should set the new direction for the nation.


Joshua Y. C. Kong

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Democratic Action Party, 16th September 2008

DAP Headquarters

No 24, Jalan 20/9, Paramount Garden,
46300, Petaling Jaya, Selangor. Attention: YB Lim Kit Siang


Dear YB.,

Greeting from Sabah


Submission of Issues from Sabah for immediate attention


It is with great pleasure and passion that we have to submit a memorandum on this very important piece of views on consumerism in Sabah vis-a-vis Malaysia.


2. We have come to the stage when it is a paradigm shift of fundamental understandings in the approaches after 51/45 years to reverse whatever failures, failings, and neglect in the development of the nation where there is a majority over a range of minorities of diverse interests despite some quarters have declared success in nation building without taking an objective assessment. We are here not with any personal agenda but public interests of all consumers when the affairs of the nation is taken in totality. We are a small young nation of 27 millions and yet the amount of turmoil we have gone through is indescribable and the amount of profligacy is too much to make any sense now and into the future. When we have a system of national Governance of several bodies in a Parliamentary Monarchy in sort of democracy including the Rulers' Conference, the YDP Agong, the Legislative, the Executive, the Judiciary, and the Press plus the regulatory and enforcement agencies like the Police and the Anti Corruption Agency, why should we have to endure such known degradation of such dimensions likely perpetuated by the same groups?


3. With this humble submission we are very concerned about the status of Sabah in many areas but we prefer to dwell on a few pressing issues concerning our basic rights and our financial cum wealth standing of a state once the richest one in Malaysia. Other known issues are official corruption, land abuses, discrimination, slavery, apartheid and power abuses.


4. OUR BASIC RIGHTS

4.1. Malaysia Agreement & its breaches

CASH has done a great deal championing our basic rights as consumers and equal citizens of Malaysia mindful of the terms and conditions of Malaysia Agreement which appears to have been breached since the beginning. There have been arguments on both sides but it may be timely that we raise this long outstanding issue with the parties concerned in the internal and international forums including the International Court of Justice as Sabah was an independent nation for 16 days in 1963. We have written to the Queen of the British Commonwealth for a review of the Malaysia Agreement and its breaches and urge patriotic citizens to do likewise

4.2 Project IC

After a prolonged process of campaigning for a Royal Commission of Inquiry on Project IC or Project Mahathir since 2006 including a signatures campaign of more than 100,000 and submission to the YDP Agong, we have yet to see any clear indication of resolving this critical issue of decades while the Government is only concerned about the undocumented illegal people. The violations of basic rights have caused tremendous losses to Sabah and Sabah people to be indemnified when the electoral rolls are corrupted with dubious citizens and phantoms.


5. FINANCIAL CUM WEALTH STANDING

5.1 Food and Fuel Prices Upheaval (FFPU).

CASH had submitted 4 memorandums of FFPU to the Government since early 2007 and little attention was given for the consumers in Sabah. This scenario had become worst since 5th June 2008. The recent adjustments including the slight downward prices on 23rd August, 2008 and other subsidies including those in 2009 Budget proposals would have little impact to reverse the FFPU prior to 2006. Sabah with little domestic economy and isolated from the Peninsula Malaysia would definitely need a greater mobilisation of concerted enhanced efforts to bring the relief to the already deprived and neglected people in the urban and rural areas. Prices of goods and services in Sabah are generally higher than elsewhere in the nation when the income levels in Sabah are not better than elsewhere nationally. We need in the nation of a single price structure in most essential and relevant goods.


5.2 Petroleum Development Act 1974 and its breaches

It is a grave concern that fossil oil in Sabah may soon be depleted and that we may be a net importer of fuel in next few years. It is ironic that the people dwelling on the land with rich resources are deprived of such natural endowment for a proper development while we still have that. It is beyond us to imagine what would happen when such resources are gone for good and that the poor people in big majority would have the greater burden of imported energy costs. It is now a wake up call with FFPU for the leaders and the people to demand proper attention to resolve those abuses of the Petroleum Development Act 1974 always shrouded in mystery away from the Parliament. A Royal Commission of Inquiry is deemed necessary and Sabah to be indemnified accordingly.


6. We would appeal to the Government with the effort of the opposition to resolve the major pressing issues with appropriate indemnity for all the shortcomings to enable Sabah to be developed in line with the national status. NGOs are expected to compliment the Governments in development efforts but when the Governments failed, the NGOs should be allowed to takeover whatever faltered, failed or abandoned projects to be funded accordingly. The Government should allow a special body to be known as MyPAW or Malaysia Private Accounts Watch in the vein of the Public Accounts Committee of the Parliament to provide the additional check and balance of public funds. Government and its agencies should also be penalised for failures and neglects in the context of consumerism


We trust you would give your prompt and appropriate attention as national leaders to keep the nation intact especially we commemorate Malaysia Day only on Borneo Island.


Yours faithfully,

(Datuk Patrick Sindu JP) (Joshua Y. C. Kong) (Hashima bte Hasbullah)

President Deputy President Secretary General

NB: Also attached a schedule of 26 Police Reports worth RM11.441 trillions.

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1.        Very concerned about the prevailing political scenario in the nation especially over the proposal of the new Federal Government with cross overs of elected members of parliament  since Barisan National lost its two thirds and five states on 8th March, 2008 now exacerbated by the stunning performance of the Pakatan Rakyat in Permatang Pauh on 26th August, 2008 with the majority only reduced by the last hour of questioned voting rate of 17% with an impossible 11,000 ballot paper within 60 minutes.

2.        We know that BN is now besieged by all sorts of adverse and self created circumstances - politics, social, economy, finance and internal squabbles-  beyond its control and the hold on power is dissipating fast following its betrayal in negotiating with PAS recently without the consent of other component parties in BN, the sudden resignation of de facto Justice Minister on a key policy on ISA, and the brewing conflict within with the final withdrawal of Sabah Progressive Party of SAPP on 17th September affecting the State Cabinet.   The latest switches of portfolio by the Prime Minister and his deputy are quite meaningless except to divert attention in the process of transfer of power within UMNO.  The latest proposal for a Race Relations Act is likely to be hindered from the start without amending the Federal Constitution trying to delay the surrender of power on lost of confidence.

3.        Such a development of lost confidence is not unexpected in recent months as internal crisis of abuses of power and official corruption had been made worst by global development in the Food and Fuel Prices Upheaval (FFPU).   

4.        We are all going to face the burden of a rotten system always denied by the incumbent Government in public but privately some of the leaders may have acknowledged it.  Today's problems of confidence in the present Government would have not arisen had the General Elections 2008 been conducted fairly and freely, a different Government would have been in place.  Joshua Kong and CASH had filed a Writ of Summons on the GE 2008 in the Kota Kinabalu High Court and the mention date is fixed for 7th October 2008.  We hope this would be a D-day of possible changes of Governments for the new beginning in the context of genuine democracy and justice.  But the ballot boxes are not likely to bring about proper and fair Governments as the electoral rolls and its system are corrupted by dubious citizens of 4-5 millions in the nation with Sabah the bulk of that in 1-2 millions plus phantom ones.

5.        With the D-day in the background of new era, there are other possibilities to resolve the impasse of the inevitable agitation for a new Federal Government by cross overs.  At the moment we are unlikely to see an easy end to the political challenge when there is no parliament sitting during the month of Ramadhan.

6.        One of the options is to have fresh General Elections as indicated by the Negeri Sembilan's State Government intention to dissolve the State Assembly if there were cross overs.  This is obviously not the best and only option as earlier stated here.

7.        We think Sabah can give some lessons of resolving the impasse as in 1985 and 1986, there were two State General Elections within the year.  Party Bersatu Sabah (PBS) won the State General Election with a majority of one seat in 1985 but encountered swearing in challenge at the Istana.  After it was resolved, the politicking and power challenge continued with a riot in Kota Kinabalu for the first time in Sabah with street demonstration,  bombs and deaths.  PBS embittered, embattled, sort of entrapped and besieged then was forced to call for fresh general elections in 1986 with a winning more than two third of the seats of 48.  That was for Sabah and PBS, but is that applicable for the 'expired' national Federal Government of 51 years when PBS was its maiden outing in 1985?

8.        Another lesson we can learn from Sabah was the way PBS despite winning the State General Elections in 1994 with 25 of the 48 seats, lost it painfully to the Barisan National led by Sabah UMNO for the first time by prearranged cross overs.  The cross overs were done after a brief impasse of the power struggle with the signatures of the elected assemblymen pledging support and confidence in the leadership of Tan Sri Sakaran Dandai of UMNO.   That was done in Sabah with impunity without questioning the ethical and moral of the positions of some of the elected assemblymen and the 'organisers' of that power grab.

9.        The same person who was a party to that power grab in  Sabah in 1994 is now doing it all over again for his effort in the Federal Government but it is apparent it is not so easy when it is a direct challenge to the Federal Government of UMNO led Barisan National in 2008.  The same person who lost the chance to be Prime Minister then in 1998, is adamant to achieve his ambition as the next Prime Minister in 2008 by all possible means as widely exposed in the mass media. The current exercise of signatures and cross overs now - albeit less smooth sailing - appears to be a playback  or a payback or a 'boomerang' for the Federal counterparts over Sabah's harsh lesson.

10.        We all know why we are at this stage of 51/45 years mainly due to divide and rule largely to benefit some small elite groups only.  The stakes for the political parties on both sides may be high but the people's welfare and future also at stake is even much higher.  Some conscientious people may be aware that the nation can be staring at some African countries in self created ruins of  prejudices or a banana republic in the making despite some claims that we still have the strong fundamentals.  If we really have the fundamentals, we would have overcome the FFPU without burdening the people at large by the massive destabilising fuel prices hike on 4th June 2008.

11.        Now the Bursa Malaysia is faced with declining value when the composite index is below a 1,000 index with reasons attributable to the US demise and the prolonged politicking since 8th March 2008 with economy and productivity in the back burners.

12.        So whoever is the Government amongst the two major groupings - BN or PR, there will continue to antagonise each other further bringing the nation towards more turmoil.  It is also possible that the people at the grass root levels would be confronting each other at the instigation of the leaders of both sides.  It is unlikely to be business as usual with crossovers or fresh general elections for at least another few years causing more ills for the people of the nation.

13.        Would an unthinkable military takeover for a few years be any good for its departure from the security of the nation?   The people have learned a lesson to avoid a repeat of May 13 hence not  an emergency Government of the same incumbent but obsolete leaders.

14.        While the national political parties sort themselves out not in national governance, it is the best option for the DYMM Sri Paduka Baginda Yang Di Pertuan Agong to install a caretaker Government in transit for a short period of two years with cabinets of technocrats at the Federal and State levels (some variations for some States).  With a national profligacy of some RM15 trillions for 51/45 years, it is timely that the capable NGOs and selected professionals assume the responsibilities of governance for the faltering, failings, failures and neglects of a long period of poor governance and mismanagement. The people at large would have a role to play in the paradigm shift as any Governments formed from crossovers may be meaningless and contagious in past bad business practices as usual simply by changing some external clothing.  Also Anwar Ibrahim would have many personal personal legal battles to be resolved in the different Courts and much more ligitation may arise on taking the high office.  Anwar has yet to clear the allegation by his former aide at the Permatang Pauh of the RM15 billions deals to 15 cronies when he was finance minister.

15.        Finally, there are enough allegations of abuses of power and official corruption in Malaysia Today (blog of Raja Petra Kamaruddin) for which the Government and Anti Corruption Agency have ignored while his articles on religion had landed him in ISA.  Joshua Kong and CASH have lodged 26 Police Reports (2004-2008) worth RM11.441 trillions but ignored by the authorities.  So the bias and partisan incumbent BN Governments - Federal and states are confirmed as unfit to continue to be at the helm with lots of ruse.
16.        Lets the nation with a diagnosis and a prescription be allowed to go ahead to implement new Governments of  technocrats with a new system for a new Malaysia to steer the nation away from the worsening turmoil by the days. We need to get to work for the good of the nation not to be engaged in diatribe, rhetoric and polemic tactics of worthless purpose.



   Joshua Kong is ready to assume that role in the interest of nation service.