urges critics of URA to step out of their luxurious bungalows and encounter the hardships faced by urban poor, offering complimentary housing in run-down apartments.
Talking Smack About Politicking in Sabah: SAPP President Yong Teck Lee Tells Junior GRS Leaders to Get a Clue
KOTA KINABALU, May 3 - Junior divisional leaders from Kiulu and Bingkor who are causing a ruckus by threatenning to kick Usno out of Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) if they feel underestimated, should take a step back and remember the cold, hard truth about Sabah's political scene, says SAPP president Datuk Yong Teck Lee.
Yong said it's important to face the facts, and the fact is that GRS isn't nearly as powerful or unified as Umno was before Umno crumbled in 2018.
"You got me? GRS isn't strong as a bull in a china shop like Umno was back in the day. GRS isn't even half as strong as BN was in 2018, let's be real. The old saying goes that 'an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.' So let's not be foolish," he said in a statement yesterday.
Yong, who also holds the position of GRS deputy chairman, thinks that GRS should teach their greenhorn leaders a thing or two about Sabah's political history, lest we find ourselves making the same mistakes again.
"Back in 2006, Umno had the audacity to dangle a carrot in front of UPKO's face and tell them to leave BN because UPKO was kicking up a fuss about non-local squatters being relocated from Putatan to Kg Maang in Penampang. That move could have messed up Penampang's demographic balance, but see where UPKO ended up? They ended up leaving BN in 2018 and BN-Umno bit the dust in a major way," Yong explained.
He also pointed out another historic political smackdown that happened in 1985, when the BN expelled Usno from its coalition for opposing the federalization of Labuan. Just a year after the expulsion, BN-Berjaya, the party of power, was crushed at the ballot box. Ordinary people gave Usno, PBS, and Pasok a landslide victory, leaving BN-Berjaya with a measly six seats.
Yong, who was Sabah's Chief Minister from May 1996 to May 1998, encourages GRS junior leaders to emulate the inclusiveness of GRS/Gagasan leader, Datuk Hj Hajiji Hj Noor. Instead of flexing their supposed political muscles, Yong suggests they focus on strengthening GRS by being honest about its strengths and weaknesses, starting with a hard look at the Sabah Government bureaucracy and delivery system.
"We've been preaching 'Rumah Kita, Kita Jaga' for a while now, so let's put that into action. And we've got a pretty kickass Minister of Finance, Datuk Masidi Manjun, on the Gagasan Rakyat team," Yong added.
To put things into perspective, GRS and Barisan Nasional (BN) represent two distinct eras in Sabah's political landscape, marked by different coalition structures, objectives, and challenges. GRS emphasizes Sabah-centric policies, particularly reclaiming state rights through the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) and prioritizing local interests over peninsula-centric politics. On the other hand, BN was historically dominated by UMNO, which prioritized centralized governance and often neglected regional demands. BN's dominance in Sabah ended after the 2018 election due to its centralized approach and neglect of regional autonomy concerns.
In light of this, Yong's advice to GRS's junior leaders seems to carry some weight. Instead of squabbling among themselves and making promises they can't keep, the younger leaders should focus on strengthening their coalition and working towards the betterment of Sabah. After all, this is not a game; it's politics, and the stakes are high.
- Datuk Yong Teck Lee, SAPP president and GRS deputy chairman, urged the junior divisional leaders from Kiulu and Bingkor to remember the realities of Sabah's political scene, as GRS is not as powerful as Umno was before 2018.
- Yong advised GRS leaders to learn from Sabah's political history, drawing attention to the instance in 2006 when Umno tricked UPKO into leaving BN, which ultimately led to BN's downfall in 2018.
- He also recalled the historical expulsion of Usno from BN in 1985 for opposing the federalization of Labuan, which resulted in the crushing defeat of BN-Berjaya in the following election.
- Yong encouraged the GRS junior leaders to emulate the inclusiveness of Datuk Hj Hajiji Hj Noor, the GRS/Gagasan leader, and focus on strengthening GRS by analyzing its strengths and weaknesses, particularly in the Sabah Government bureaucracy and delivery system.
- Yong noted that GRS and Barisan Nasional (BN) represent different eras in Sabah's political landscape, with GRS emphasizing Sabah-centric policies and prioritizing local interests, while BN was historically dominated by UMNO and focused on centralized governance.
- In light of these differences, Yong's advice to GRS's junior leaders seems essential, as they should strive to strengthen their coalition and prioritize the betterment of Sabah instead of arguing among themselves.
- As Yong highlighted, this is not a game; it's politics, and the stakes are high, with the present situation requiring vehement, concerted efforts towards strengthening GRS and implementing effective policy-and-legislation for the betterment of Sabah.
