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 KOTA
KINABALU, May 22, 2017: Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) president Datuk Seri Panglima
Yong Teck Lee yesterday criticized the opposition parties in West Malaysia
for not having principle and honour as they were unable to let go of their
government posts even after their parties have gone separate ways.
Similarly, he pointed out that some Sabahan politicians in both the
Barisan Nasional (BN) and opposition were unprincipled in their political
struggle.
Yong, who is the former Chief Minister of Sabah, said Parti Keadilan
Rakyat (PKR) members in Kelantan could not bring themselves to resign from
their posts.
“And in Selangor, PAS members are trying to hang on. Democratic Action
Party (DAP) which is condemning PAS has been embracing PAS leaders in the
Selangor government.
“These Malayan parties who are perceived to be more superior do not
subscribe to the political principle and honour,” he said during the
Parents’ Day celebration organized by SAPP Women of Kota Kinabalu and
Penampang zones here yesterday.
Likewise, Yong said there were some ministers within BN who expressed
disappointment with the failures of the BN government. Yet, these same
leaders sing the praises of the BN and continue to support BN, he said.
 For example, Yong claimed that Parti Bersatu Sabah acting president cum
Minister of Energy, Green Technology and Water Datuk Seri Dr Maximus
Ongkili was unhappy with what was happening within the government yet he
was unwilling to resign from his ministerial post because he likes the
post more than the political struggle.
He said it was also a principle that when elected assemblymen left the
party on which they were elected, they were supposed to resign their seats
as they had breached the trust given to them by the people.
Yong said some elected assemblymen had contested under DAP or PKR, but
later switched parties whilst still holding on to their Yang Berhormat (YB)
status. He said these assemblymen were not respected because they did not
uphold the principle of honour and responsibility.
“These elected representatives have promised not to jump (switch parties)
before the election but upon winning, they jumped even further away.”
When SAPP left BN in 2008, Yong said the party leaders and members at
various levels of government honourably resigned their posts.
“That is a principle of honour and responsibility.
“When you have lost confidence in the government, you leave the
administration.
“When SAPP lost confidence in the then Prime Minister and BN in 2008, we
left the BN and the government.”
As an example, he said SAPP deputy president Melanie Chia had immediately
resigned and packed up her office as Assistant Minister of Finance when
the party left BN.
“Datuk Liew Teck Chan also signed his post as deputy chairman of a major
government statutory body while Datuk Eric Majimbun declined the post of
chairman of a government agency, the same way I had declined the
nomination as senator from the then Prime Minister.”
He said SAPP’s district councillors, constituency development officers,
Kapitans, village heads, Village Development and Security Committee (JKKK)
and native court officials all eventually left their posts.
“This is the shining example of responsibility shown by SAPP members.
“As for the few members who wanted to hold on to their government posts,
they had to resign from the party.”
That said, Yong stressed that elders in the society should impart upon the
younger generation that honour and responsibility were virtues on which
they built their character, families and society.
“Without a sense of responsibility, our leaders become more autocratic and
less answerable to the people,” he said.
Meanwhile, United Sabah Alliance (USA) president Datuk Hj Mohammad Noor
Mansoor said SAPP had remained strong despite its terrible defeat in the
last general election.
“Even so, not many party members ran away from SAPP. This is principle.
“We fight for the people.”
He also voiced his concern on security issues in the State and called on
parents that they have a responsibility to ensure a better place for their
children to live in Sabah, and Malaysia in general.
On the other hand, SAPP Women chief Melanie Chia Miu Lee said the society
was now facing a lot of unresolved problems, including the issue of
illegal immigrants, youth unemployment, increase in the price of goods,
among others.
“Can we tolerate things from getting bad to worse? No, we cannot tolerate
anymore, we have to put a stop to it.
“In this coming election, we will change the government, put a stop to all
the wrongdoings and put the right things in place.
“With Gabungan Sabah now, we are even stronger to defend Sabah rights,”
said Chia.
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