“With his credibility and leadership confidence sliding negatively down fast, PM Najib should take the New Year 2016 as an opportunity to restore confidence, remove fear and resolve outstanding issues, especially with regards to Sabah and Sarawak” said Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan, STAR Sabah chairman and Bingkor State Assemblyman in responding to questions about his hopes for the coming New Year.
He said, the past 12 months in 2015 have been an eventful year with so many things, mostly negative, happening in Malaysia affecting the people –
• the Mount Kinabalu earthquake
• kidnappings and beheading of a Sarawakian victim seized from Sabah
• imposition of GST
• 1MDB fiasco
• Slide of the Malaysian Ringgit
• the sacking of the Attorney General
• the sacking of ex-DPM Muhyiddin and Shafie Apdal from the Cabinet
• the disbanding of the PAC inquiring into the IMDB fiasco
• the disbanding of the Special Taskforce investigating into the 1MDB and SRC accounts
• Mahathir’s demand for Najib’s resignation
• The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) and Sarawak Report’s astonishing revelations and expose of RM2.6 billion in Najib’s bank account
• Lately the exposure by WSJ of another USD850 million remitted by 1MDB to an alleged entity set up to appear owned by Abu Dhabi Wealth Fund
• Bersih’s demands and Bersih 4 street rally
• Yellow Shirts vs Red Shirts
• Cabinet Reshuffle
• arrests of Sabah rights activists in Sabah
• S4S (Sarawak for Sarawakians) movement in Sarawak
• CM Adenan and Sarawak DUN’s demands for oil royalties and autonomy including on education and adoption of English as an official language in addition to Bahasa Malaysia
• demands for Review of MA63
• Memorandum on Sabah rights and Sabah’s 40% entitlement of the net revenue derived from Sabah
• Highway toll hikes
• Removal of petrol and other subsidies
• NSC Bill
• Last but not least, the alleged RM2.6 billion “Arab” donation with another RM42 million allegedly from SRC.
Events in 2015 could get worse in 2016 but it is also the best opportunity for Najib and the BN government to bounce back if he can act fast to restore confidence to overcome his leadership trust deficit, remove the “fear” of misuse of the NSC Bill and grant Sabah and Sarawak their full autonomy and equal status with Malaya.
Najib could, in fact, be the biggest beneficiary if he can positively mobilize his position and the institutions of government to restore public confidence and resolve the Malaysian dilemma related to the Borneo States.
Najib could transform his negative dwindling image politically, economically and socially from zero to hero. But he must act fast before he loses more confidence and the system which he currently controls turn against him and the Borneo States loses hope and shift into a different direction of no return.
What are Najib’s options”?
(1) Do nothing and let things get worse;
(2) Do something to resolve and save the country and himself; or
(3) Do something worse and begin the end of Malaysia.
Thus, 2016 presents an opportunity for Najib to do something and save the country and himself. Some of the things Najib should do include:-
(a) address the Sabah and Sarawak rights and autonomy issues and their demands
- review of the IGC Report and MA63
- equal status/partnership with Malaya
- New Malaysian Constitution and New Structure
- Review of Petronas Oil Agreement
- Resolution of the RCI Report recommendations and Project IC
- Return to Sabah the 40% net revenue derived from Sabah
- Review and increase the financial allocation for Sarawak
- Increased development allocations for Sabah and Sarawak to commensurate and overcome the lopsided and imbalanced development in the Borneo States
(b) Resolve IMDB fiasco
(c) Address Bersih 4 demands
(d) Let Tengku Razaleigh to be the new Finance Minister
(e) Sabahan/Sarawakian to command ESSCOM not acting under instructions
(f) Arrest the sliding Malaysian Ringgit
(g) Stop racial and religious policies and politicking by Umno and related entities
(h) Adopt a fresh approach to improve education standards
(i) Increase the earnings of the people and reduce the dependence on cheap foreign labour
(j) Defer or at least reduce the GST rate to 2% with exemption for Sabah and Sarawak
(k) Implement electoral reforms for fair and clean elections starting with the Sarawak State Election
Restoring public and international confidence is paramount but it won’t be easy as it is no stroll in the park if the system does not cooperate with Najib.
Whatever happens in 2016, my hope is, at the minimum, for Sabah to receive its 40% net revenue entitlement and other financial rights such as the 10% export duties in lieu of the oil royalties as well as the 10% import and excise duties on petroleum products.
I take this opportunity to wish all Malaysians “HAPPY NEW YEAR 2016” and no more “IRI OM IRI’ and no more “BAU” (Business As Usual).
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