YOURSAY 'Sabah is 20 years behind Peninsular Malaysia in terms of physical development. This is one example of the rights of Sabahans being robbed.'

Putrajaya has never robbed rights of Sabahans, says PM

your say Onyourtoes: Putrajaya has never robbed rights of Sabahans, says PM Najib Razak. Well, the answer would depend on which Sabahans he was talking about here.

I like this, "Don't think national administration is so simple that we can arbitrarily spend money as we like just to become popular and get the support of the people."

I think the PM does not know the opposition has only promised to spend and that also is on relevant programmes and projects.

As for him, he has actually spent a lot on the populist programmes aiming at getting the support of the people. Indeed, it is really difficult for some to see their own baloney.

Changeagent: Najib, if Selangor and Penang graded D or even failed, what grade do you give Sabah?

At least in Selangor and Penang, they can run budget surpluses and despite the vicious witch-hunt by MACC (Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission), law enforcement agencies and the mainstream media, they haven't been implicated in any genuine corruption scandals yet.

This is unlike Sabah where the people are among the poorest in the country despite their rich natural resources, have the rights to choose their own state government robbed by illegal voters, and to top it all off, have leaders of questionable conduct who are implicated in a RM40 million money laundering scandal.

Gunner: Sabah is 20 years behind Peninsular Malaysia in terms of physical development. This is one example of the rights of Sabahans being robbed.

What about the mass issuance of identity cards to foreigners under Project IC/M? What about the 5 percent oil royalty? Is that all Sabahan entitled to?

Najib, I have a long list, but what's the point, you would not pay any attention to it anyway. Perhaps you are more interested to smuggle tons of money into Sabah just to enrich Umno politicians.

Brahman: BN did not rob Sabahans, they just gave away Sabahan rights to their cronies in return for personal donation or Umno donation.

They diluted the assets that belong to the true Sabahab by injecting and converting illegal immigrants just to stay in power.

This in turn had an economic effect on Sabah, true bumiputeras had to share the pie with "legalised immigrants" - places for schools, hospitals and housing.

If the PM is sincere about what he said, he should turn Sabah assets, such as timber, oil, and minerals rights, into a trust for Sabahans.

It should be locked down for Sabahans and not be indiscreetly spend or given away like what is happening in Yayasan Sabah.

Magnus: "As I said during the tabling of the 2013 Budget, the true worth of a leader can only be evaluated when he's in power and not when he has no power," said Najib.

A politician trademark is inconsistency. They don't normally believe in the sanctity or integrity of anything, even important things like constitutional/contractual agreements, governance systems, processes, principles, laws and even truths, other than serving their private, party, family, clan or crony interests.

You never know who they really are. They will look you straight in the eye and say whatever they have to say to get political power, even carry your child if need be, so they can win and serve self-serving agendas more than national interests, and which normally includes amassing personal status, wealth and even more power to keep the self-serving status quo going.

Leaders, on the other hand, will not lie to you or cheat or steal from you no matter what, even when you are not looking or they know they can get away with it. They have too much respect for you to do that to you.

That is why you don't have to check up on them as much as you would have to with politicians, to whom twisting, spinning or hiding the truth has never been too unpalatable or too unconscionable as a duplicitous act.

Leaders will not affect or puff themselves up with external plumage so they can make more of themselves and less of you, or even bother to wave any implement at you to scare you or ‘kow tow' you into involuntary deference of them.

Leaders are in it for the right things like fundamental human goods like human rights and democratic freedom and the right to think and choose and make personal life choices without state interference.

That is why people call them "leaders" and choose to follow them and are even prepared to die for them if need be for the truly good causes and principles they believe in. Leaders are a rare species and you do not unfortunately, normally find them in the everyday political sphere.

You find politicians more often there so choose your politicians with care as "politicians" and "leaders" are very rarely one and the same human species.

Odin: Najib, all my fellow readers are of the opinion that you are a liar. I agree. You in the BN have lied to and deceived Sabahans as well as stole their rights and resources starting with your dishonouring of the 18-Point Agreement.

That was at the beginning of the Malaysia era. And you are still at it.

Your robbing of the rights of Sabahans as claimed by the opposition is not a lie. Your denial of it is. Your arsenal can be described in three words - lie, deceive, steal.

Gerard Lourdesamy: Umno-BN has been in power since 1955 and yet it cannot deliver. So what is there to evaluate?

In Sabah, they have controlled the state since 1963 except for the brief period of PBS government and Sabah is still the poorest and least developed state in the federation.

So what about Umno-BN's sweet promises all these years? If the Pakatan gets a grade D from Najib, then there are no alphabets left to grade Umno-BN's performance in Sabah.

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