Kota Kinabalu: Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) on Wednesday dared Upko President Tan Sri Bernard Dompok, to give meaning to his words rather than beat about the bush every time the party is bullied and isolated by Barisan Nasional (BN).
PKR State Liaison Deputy Chairman, Daniel John Jambun, said Dompok and Upko were so openly dissatisfied with BN's ways of handling Sabah and Sarawak matters, and yet they just sulk each time they are told to leave.
"Quit BN, don't just threaten, you have been bullied time and again. You have been forever airing your dissatisfactions of not being heard by BN, but why do you continue to stay with those who are bullying you?" he asked.
Daniel said if Dompok and Upko honestly feel that they are not heard or respected enough on Sabah matters, they should know what to do by now, that is to leave BN just like what SAPP did.
"Look, remember when you (Upko) were speaking up for the Kadazan people in Kg Maang, Penampang, you were bluntly told by Umno leaders to leave BN.
"If Dompok really fights for the people of Sabah, as he claimed, he should leave Umno-led BN tomorrow. If not, the people could read that Dompok and his Upko merely followed Umno's wish, and not the people's wishÉ" he said, adding that Upko coalescing and collaborating with Umno would eventually erode any confidence in that party

Kota Kinabalu: Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) does not see any sense in the Federal Government proceeding with the 500km Kimanis-Bintulu gas pipeline while at the same time wanting to build a full-fledged petrochemical plant in the State.
Vice President Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan said it should scrap plans for the 500km pipeline and, instead, use the billions of ringgit to set up a real full-fledged petrochemical plant in Kimanis, and not have both.
"How do you know there is an excess of gas? What is the use of a full-fledged petrochemical plant in Kimanis when at the same time you export the same raw material for this plant? It is illogical and a wastage," he said in a statement, Saturday.
He was commenting on Tan Sri Bernard Dompok's statement that he had now agreed to the 500km gas pipeline project after the Federal Cabinet convinced him that a full-fledged petrochemical plant would also be built in Kimanis, and that only excess gas would be exported to Bintulu.
Jeffrey, who is also PKR State Steering Committee Chairman, said it is unfortunate that Dompok is satisfied so easily and quickly with the new raw deal or promise by the Federal Government.
"While it looks good to say that finally the Federal Government has agreed to build a petrochemical plant in Sabah, it is appalling and raises eyebrows because here at the same time you are killing the plant by building the pipeline to export Sabah's gas.
"The idea is to scrap the 500km pipeline and build a full-fledged petrochemical plant here. Dompok now allowed the building of the pipeline. Dompok achieved nothing. The full-fledged plant may never take offÉ," he said.
He also said Sabah leaders must examine why Barisan Nasional MPs like Datuk Ghapur Salleh are sceptical about pledges from the Federal Government to Sabah.
"I still oppose this 500km gas pipeline project. To me it is tantamount to bullying Sabah and sabotaging her economy.
"We want to create downstream industries in Sabah. Why must we export these opportunities to Sarawak, which has its own? Sabah is in dire need of this opportunity as this State is the poorest among the 13 states," Jeffrey said.

NOSTALGIA’S NEWS
When Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) president Datuk Yong Teck Lee announced the party's decision to leave the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition on Sept 17, it did not surprise many people as it was something to be expected.This was because three months beforehand, SAPP had displayed such a tendency.

But when United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation (UPKO) threatened to review its position in BN, it came as a shock and was seemingly reminiscent to SAPP's political move.

UPKO thus became the second BN component party in Sabah to make a "strong statement" against BN after SAPP.While SAPP unveiled Sabah-related issues as its political "weapon", UPKO appeared to be unhappy with the way the National Registration Department (NRD) handled the plight of 78-year old Yong Lee Hua, a Sino-Kadazan, who was issued with a red identity card (IC) with a status of a permanent resident when she went to replace her blue IC that she lost in a supermarket in Penampang last year.

Surprised by the downgrading, UPKO deputy president Datuk Wilfred Bumburing was quoted as saying that taking away the citizenship of a locally-born Bumiputera and forcing the person to take permanent resident status was a shocking display of incompetence from a department rigged with controversies, including dubious ICs issued to illegal immigrants via false Statutory Declarations.

"This action by the NRD infringes the basic rights of Malaysians in Sabah and if it is not rectified, UPKO must seriously review its position in Barisan," said Bumburing, who is member of Parliament for Tuaran.

So will UPKO follow SAPP because of its dissatisfaction with the BN?

UPKO has four MPs -- Dompok, Bumburing, Datuk Dr Marcus Majigoh (Putatan) and Datuk Siringan Gubat (Ranau).