Pointless to debate: Warisan

Kota Kinabalu: It’s pointless for Pakatan Harapan (PH) to debate the 27 supply bills when they allowed the Budget 2021 to be passed at the policy stage last week, says a Parti Warisan Sabah leader.

Terrence Siambun, who is Warisan Treasurer-General, said it did not make sense to debate the remaining supply bills further at committee level as the key step would have been to stop the Budget at the policy stage.

Siambun was responding to criticism from former Johor DAP Chief Dr Boo Cheng Hau that the eight Warisan MPs failed to exercise their fiduciary duty by abstaining on bloc voting for two supply bills under Budget 2021 on Monday (Nov 30).

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“Boo should instead pose the question to Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as to why he failed to perform his fiduciary duty to object to the Budget last week.

“What is the point of going through the committee level debate if the policies in the Budget, which were deemed as disadvantageous to Sabahans by Boo, had been approved by Anwar in the first place?

“So, if Anwar has solid and convincing support from the MPs in the Government, then he does not need the eight Warisan MPs to defeat any of the 27 supply bills at the committee level,” Siambun said in a statement Wednesday.

He said Warisan was striving for unity of the nation for the sake of economic prosperity and would not allow themselves to be used politically for the personal interests of others.

Our report on Dec 2.

He noted that prior to the tabling of Budget 2021, it was widely politicised that this would be a test of Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s leadership and Anwar’s opportunity to seize power.

“Warisan’s main contention as stated by Labuan MP Datuk Rozman Isli is that after Anwar’s Nov 26 blunder – irrespective of whatever tactical strategy he (Anwar) may now have in his mind for the committee level debate – it doesn’t make sense at all for the Warisan MPs to allow the party to be used just because we are sitting in the Opposition bloc together with Pakatan,” Siambun said.

He said Boo was just trying to pressure Sabah leaders to follow the path of national leaders just like what happens in Barisan and Perikatan who want to ensure they hold power.

Leiking

“Boo is trying to pressure eight Warisan MPs into submission by using Sabah and the role of elected representative as points in his argument, ” he said.

“Boo may have forgotten or is perhaps unaware that Warisan had fought against Datuk Seri Najib Razak and Umno and won because we held our heads high.

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“I don’t think we are ready to submit to Anwar who is the Opposition chief at this moment,” he said, adding that Warisan MPs had debated and highlighted various issues pertaining to Sabah in Budget 2021.

Meanwhile, Warisan Deputy President Datuk Darell Leiking rubbished notions that the Sabah opposition outfit was in cahoots with ruling parties after its MPs sat out several budget votes in the Dewan Rakyat this week.

“There is no such thing. Warisan is not working with Perikatan Nasional (PN) nor Barisan Nasional (BN),” the Penampang MP told FMT.

He was responding to a news report in which PKR Communications Director Fahmi Fadzil had warned Warisan that it could be perceived as helping PN as a result of the no-show by its MPs in the Dewan Rakyat.

“I think Rozman said it very clearly. This is not to support PN or BN, and Fahmi knows this very well,” Leiking said referring to Labuan MP Datuk Rozman Isli, who is also Warisan whip.

“These are the people who fought against us in the last election, we will maintain this and we will fight them again when the election comes.

“But where there are good things in the budget, we will support, such as assistance for Covid-19 and where it helps the people. If it doesn’t help the people of course we will oppose it. I think Fahmi should clarify what he meant.”

Fahmi had reminded Warisan to be ready in case there were perceptions the party was helping PN to stay in power after sitting out the budget vote.

The Lembah Pantai MP also issued the reminder after none of the eight Warisan MPs was present during day one of the committee level debate on the 2021 Supply Bill for the Prime Minister’s Department and Finance Ministry on Monday.

“This is a loss for Pakatan Harapan (because Warisan MPs did not attend). So don’t be surprised if people say or perceptions arise that Warisan are helping to keep the current government in power,” he was quoted as saying by Sinar Harian.

Fahmi said while he did not believe such a matter but that if such a perception surfaced, Warisan would then need to explain.

“I hope this is not true,” he added.

On Monday, Rozman acknowledged that the absence of Warisan MPs was a deliberate move to show the party’s displeasure with opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

He added that Warisan intended to sit out during bloc votes on the budget indefinitely.

Leiking, who is former International Trade and Industry Minister, said despite Warisan’s position, the party will do its part regarding the budget.

“Rozman was making a point but that doesn’t mean we will not do our part.

“We are doing our part, we’ve said our part and there are some concessions the Government has done but there are still many issues we will oppose,” he said.