MP: Sabahans are haunted by lack of development
A former BN parliamentarian from Sabah has hit out at the ruling coalition for failing to develop the state despite decades of being in power.
A former BN parliamentarian from Sabah has hit out at the ruling coalition for failing to develop the state despite decades of being in power.
"The BN has clouded the eyes of Sabahans with promises that continue to remained unfilled," Lajim Ukin (Independent-Beaufort) told the Dewan Rakyat today.
Speaking during the policy stage of the debate on Budget 2013, Lajim continued with the tone of East Malaysian MPs from both sides of the aisle who have complained of neglect in the infrastructure development of Sabah and Sarawak.
He lamented that despite promises to improve Sabah roads, the few roads that were built in Sabah were poorly built and maintained, resulting in frequent accidents that took
a high toll on the lives of Sabahans.
Lajim also pointed out that the BN-led federal and state governments have also failed to provide clean treated water to one fifth of Sabahans and nearly half the state still does not have electricity.
As for medical services, he said there was only one doctor for every 2,300 Sabahans and there people there also continues to be "haunted" by the lack of infrastructure development.
"Beaufort, my hometown is called a ‘flood town' because it is inundated three times annually. It has been so since its founding 100 years ago."
Sabah MPs have been tirelessly raising the matter with the BN-led government at the state and federal levels, but to no avail.
Lajim then praised the Pakatan Rakyat shadow budget for directly addressing these matters and lambasted the federal 2013 budget for neglecting them.
Lajim’s lament, however, was countered by another Sabah MP, Sapawi Ahmad (BN-Sipitang), from a neighbouring parliamentary constituency who took the floor to debate the budget.
“Sipitang is near Beaufort and I can say that Beaufort under BN is well-developed, though now after leaving the ruling coalition the opposite may happen.”
He pointed to a brand-new hospital and two new bridges in Beaufort which he said are amongst the projects worth millions of ringgit sunk by BN in developing the area.
Sapawi accused the opposition of spinning issues like the alleged lack of development in Sabah as well as the lower than agreed petroleum subsidies to confuse and mislead the rakyat.
Assailing BN's vote bank
Former BN MP Lajim announced his departure from the ruling coalition recently to become a Pakatan-friendly independent.
Lajim's sudden exit from BN, along with fellow Sabah MP Wilfred Bumburing of Tuaran, was made much of by the opposition as part of its campaign to assail what has for long been the BN's vote bank.
The dissatisfaction with the implementation of infrastructure developments in Sabah and Sarawak continue to be a sore point for BN as this issue is lamented even by its own MPs, causing the BN government to come under consistent attacks from Pakatan.
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