Sunday, June 22, 2008

Upko undecided on no-confidence vote - The Star

KOTA KINABALU: Jun 22, 2008 By MUGUNTAN VANAR

Upko has not decided on which way to go should a no-confidence vote against the Prime Minister come up in Parliament, its deputy president Datuk Wilfred Bumburing said.

However, party president Tan Sri Bernard Dompok had earlier said the party had "no plans to play hero" during such a vote.

Bumburing said whatever the decision, Upko would participate in any debate should the vote come up.

"We cannot deny that we share Sabah Progressive Party’s views on issues pertaining to the migrant problem.

"We are firm about this and we are unhappy about so called Cabinet Committee to tackle Sabah’s illegal immigrant woes," he said.

Bumburing said a similar committee set up in 2002 had only one meeting.

"It's almost forgotten and now they are talking of the same thing,” he said, adding that a Royal Commission of Inquiry was a better option as it would be able to act on the problem firmly.

Upko has four MPs – party president and Minister in Prime Minister’s Department Tan Sri Bernard Dompok, Bumburing who is Tuaran MP, Datuk Dr Marcus Majigoh (Putatan MP) and Datuk Siringan Gubat (Ranau MP).

Meanwhile, Sepanggar Barisan Nasional membes held a protest over their MP Datuk Eric Enchin Majimbun’s support for the no-confidence motion against the Prime Minister.

A large number of members from various component parties in the division demonstrated at the Sepanggar Umno office here and said the no-confidence motion did not have the endorsement of the parties in the area.

Among the component parties represented were Umno, Parti Bersatu Sabah, Liberal Democratic Party, MCA and Gerakan.

Those present demanded that Eric respect the Barisan leadership under Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Karambunai Umno assemblyman Datuk Jainab Ahmad, whose constituency is within the Sepanggar parliamentary constituency, slammed Eric and SAPP president Datuk Yong Teck Lee and accused them of trying to break up the national coalition.

"Taking such a step without consulting us shows that they don’t believe in the Barisan spirit and consensus,” Jainab said, adding that as Umno leaders they strongly condemned SAPP’s move of no confidence.

PBS Sepanggar division head Darwi Abdullah called Yong a traitor to the voters and said he should just leave the coalition.

1 comment:

This Account is out-of-date said...

I don't see any reason for Sabah and Sarawak to allow BN to rule their land when so much has been exploited compared to incoming benefits received. Here's a story I want to share with East Malaysians :

The Land of Mites and Maybees

Long, long ago
on an island far away,
sat The Land of Mites and Maybees
to the left of Backbone Bay.

The mites were hearty creatures,
they would never hurt a soul.
But their problem was they never could
achieve a single goal.

They knew just what they wanted,
and they'd ponder it at length,
but when it came to action,
they just didn't have the strength.

The maybees were quite similar,
with only slight revisions.
They'd say "maybe this" and "maybe that",
but never reached decisions.

There was a king, King Know It All,
who loved to take advantage
of these measly mites and maybees
whom without him could not manage.

Or so they thought, for they'd been told
and learned so deep within
that there's just no sense in trying
when you know you cannot win.

And so the king, with ruling hand
grew stronger every day.
For the mites and maybees just assumed
that his was the best way.

Till one bright day, out of the blue,
a mini-mite was walking
and in his sheltered innocence,
he suddenly began talking.

"Why do we weed our gardens by hand
when it's faster with a hoe?
And why do we sled in summertime
instead of in the snow?

"Why do we paint our buildings brown,
when red is so much brighter?
And why do we carry sacks of rocks
when stones are so much lighter?"

The mini-mite kept asking more,
like a record that was broken.
Though all of them had thought these things,
none had ever spoken.

"Shhh! Pipe down!", were the frightened cries
as they worried their king would hear.
The mites and maybees looked around,
their eyes spread wide with fear.

"I'll be quiet", said the mini-mite,
"but I just have one more querry.
If there's more of us than there is of him,
why is he so scary?"

The mites and maybees pondered this,
this thought that was quite new.
And as they tugged and wrestled it,
the logic in it grew.

Suddenly everything seemed so clear;
they all had minds of their own,
so why were they letting King Know It All
rule his mighty throne?

Well, it didn't take long once this thought was in place,
for weeds to be pulled out with hoes.
And it didn't take long for paint to be red
and for sleds to be used when it snows.

Soon the king got weaker, and finally left;
Left the whole kingdom far behind.
For he realized that not even he was as strong
as the power of speaking your mind.


(C) 1998, Arden Davidson