10 Sept 2020

[Sabah State Elections] Management of Sabah Electricity to return to Sabah? Pakatan floats charming promises again!

People may believe the impending Sabah state elections will quell the political chaos and enable development in Sabah to be comprehensive and fair. However, if the state polls return the same results, will Sabah change for the better or will it be another continuation of the past 22 months?

Let’s review Chief Minister Dato’ Seri Shafie Apdal and Pakatan’s pledges when they were in power as well as their earlier plan to legalise illegal immigrants. Sabahans intending to cast their ballot for Warisan or its allies need to think twice.

Not only should we review Shafie’s earlier plan to legalise illegals via the guise of issuing PSS (Pas Sementara Sabah), let’s evaluate the promises by PH Sabah prior to the 14^th general elections (GE14), which among others, vowed to return Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd (SESB) to Sabah, so that management rights over Sabah’s electricity would be in the hands of the state.

Needless to say, within 22 months of PH’s rule, did SESB return to Sabah? Does Sabah hold the right to regulate the power industry in its state? Immediate past Minister of Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change (MESTECC) YB Yeo Bee Yin had conveyed that the federal government had approved the ownership of SESB to be handed to the state government. But was this executed in the end? The answer is: No!

In addition to electricity ownership rights, PH posted many promises. But ultimately, only one sentence remains a stark reminder ie the Manifesto is not a Bible and PH did not expect to govern the federal government. Many policies have not been changed. PH was probably the only government in the world which exploited the election Manifesto as a magnet.  Thus, just manipulate persuasively and plan after succeeding, so long as voters cast their ballots for you.

Dissatisfaction is highest among East Malaysians over PH’s inability to fulfil its promise of paying out the 20% oil royalty. PH election Manifesto had vowed to raise the oil royalty from the original 5% to 20%. However, after triumphing in the elections, it was discovered that some problems needed to be solved, and it was later claimed that it would be impossible to grant the 20% oil royalty from Petronas. This promise was thus ignored.

Moreover, PH also pledged that it would recognise the United Examinations Certificate (UEC). DAP Secretary General Lim Guan Eng even extolled that once PH came into power, UEC would be admitted within 30 days. However, after Teoh Nie Ching was appointed as Deputy Minister of Education, she promised to recognise the UEC within half a year. Education stakeholders had looked forward to the recognition for half a year. But with one year and two years later, PH still failed to recognise UEC.

This is PH’s consistent style. When just talking, all types of pledges are hyped. But when it came to delivery, excuses prevailed until their federal administration collapsed.

Now that the Sabah state elections are around the corner, PH whose credibility has gone bankrupt, is doing the same again! Can PH make a comeback to govern Sabah? Will voters trust their empty promises again?

PH wants Sabahans to trust them again. Stop insulting the IQ of Sabahans, lah!

Sweet, honey-coated words drift in the wind. PH’s “promises” are afloat in the Land Below the Wind again.

10 Sept 2020