Kota Kinabalu: SAPP President Datuk Seri Yong Teck Lee said Sabahan political leaders such as Star President Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan must continue to fight for Sabah’s rights without fear or favour.
He said history shows it is the standard tactic of the Federal Government to use “stick and carrots” to subdue Sabahans’ long outstanding claim to get back rights and resources.
“Having been in politics for 40 years, serving both in government and in opposition, I can say with certainty that Sabahans are now witnessing another round of the weaponisation of law enforcement agencies, such as MACC, to instil the fear factor among Sabah political leaders so that we toe the federal line or else we will suffer dire consequences.
“To put it simply, toeing the federal line means that no action will be taken against the leaders concerned. Going against the federal line could result in criminal prosecutions,” he said in a statement, Monday. Yong said it happened to him in June 2008.
“I can testify my own bitter experience of June 2008 when SAPP was about to leave the then ruling BN government. In March 2008, BN had lost its two-thirds parliamentary majority for the first time in its history. I called that the ‘Window of Opportunity’ for Sabah to claim back rights and resources.
“As news surfaced that SAPP and its two MPs were about to announce a vote of no-confidence against the then Prime Minister on June 18, 2008, I received a faxed letter dated June 17, 2008 from the Prime Minister’s Office (marked Rahsia) nominating me as a Senator.
“At that time, I was strongly advised by my party officers not to release the letter because the letter was classified as Rahsia (Secret). But in the light of the current political tension in Sabah, and because it is high time for the people of Sabah to understand how the politics of federalism works against Sabah rights and interests, I have a duty to release the letter.
“Feeling that the nomination of senatorship was an attempted bribery, I felt insulted and rejected the nomination. The following day (June 18), SAPP went ahead with its public announcement of no- confidence in the then PM.
“Strangely, two days later, on June 20, 2008, at 12.32pm, the then Director of Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) announced that “Yong Teck Lee kini disiasat kerana terbabit satu kes rasuah membabitkan RM5 juta…..” going back to 1996 (12 years earlier) when I was Chief Minister.
“I had, and still have, nothing to fear because I know for a fact that there was never any such corruption. I later realised that the news of me being investigated for corruption was intended to scare other political leaders, especially Members of Parliament, from joining the move to support the no-confidence in the then PM.
Apparently, that scare tactic worked.”Yong said after the news of the ACA wanting to investigate him, he took the initiative to call the ACA Director at Kota Kinabalu whether they wanted to take his statement.
“I offered to attend at the ACA office because I was about to travel to the UK for the university graduation of my son. I did not want to be stopped at the KK airport when I travelled. The ACA director told me that they had no plans to take my statement.”“This is how federal bullying works. But, federal bullying can succeed only if we Sabahans allow it to succeed. Federal bullying will not stop but we Sabahans can stop the bullying.
“We must have leaders who dare to face the fear factor and to expect no favours. When there is not fear factor, fear tactics will not work.”Yong said in fighting for Sabah rights, Sabah can rely on the MA63 and Federal Constitution that set out the process in managing state-federal relationship. Malaysian federalism is similar to the federations of Canada, India and Australia, all of whom are commonwealth countries like Malaysia.
“What is crucial for Sabah government leaders is to keep in mind what former US President JF Kennedy said “Do not fear to negotiate, but do not negotiate out of fear.”
