Sabah is the best example, says Najib AND Advice to Sabahan Ministers

Published on: Tuesday, May 05, 2009
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Kota Kinabalu: Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak on his maiden visit to Sabah as Prime Minister praised the State for displaying the best example of his "One Malaysia: People First, Performance Now" concept. He said no other State in the country fully epitomised the concept than Sabah. With 45 ethnic and sub-ethnic groups in Sabah, he said the State is indeed very colourful.

"This (Sabah) is the best example of the One Malaysia concept. Not only we (here) respect one another but it is seamless between them," he said. Speaking at a dinner hosted by the State Government for him and his wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, at Pacific Sutera, he said there were no barriers between the people here. Citing Umno, he said there are Kadazans and Dusuns in the party who sometimes wear their traditional attire and at other times the Baju Melayu during party meetings.

"Hence, most important is not the person's racial background but the fact that he is a Rakyat Malaysia. This is what makes us strong among one another," he said. Sabah, he said, is very important to the Barisan Nasional to enable the BN continue leading the country. Thanking the State for its firm support to him, he believed that it would continue to do so. Recalling his statement a few years ago that Sabah is like a "fixed deposit" in the BN, he quipped his visit was to check the value of the fixed deposit and believed the value would remain at a high level. Based on the support from the people in Sabah to the BN, he said they would continue to provide confidence to the Barisan.

On the Federal Government's part, he said it would continue to fulfil Sabah needs. This explained why he appointed four full Ministers and five Deputy Ministers from Sabah. However, he said that to ensure the Barisan Nasional's (BN) victory in the next 13th general election, the work must start from now. "The work starts now and it must be carried out now and also it must be continuous," he stressed, adding that people are becoming more knowledgeable and aspired to see changes. In this respect, everyone must go down to the rakyat's level and help to unravel the problems and difficulties they face.

He said sitting in the comfort of an air-conditioned office is different compared to if they go down to immerse themselves on how the people felt. Explaining the "walk about" method he introduced within 24 hours of assuming the nation's leadership, he said it simply means looking at what is happening on the ground and at the same time strike a friendship with the people.

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Advice to Sabahan Ministers
Published on: Tuesday, May 05, 2009
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FEDERAL Ministers and Deputy Ministers from Sabah have been urged to focus on development throughout the country and not just in the State. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib said that as a member of the Federal Cabinet they are, in fact, national leaders. "As a Minister, your orientation should focus not only on Sabah. You have to consider Sarawak and Pahang (among others) also," he said.

He also said he had improved the portfolio assignments for the Ministers knowing that development is an important agenda for Sabah and Sarawak. In a jest, he said that if there are complaints concerning utilities and infrastructure, they should refer to Sabah. On a serious note, Najib said he re-assigned the portfolios with Sabah leaders in his mind. "Kalau dulu ada orang komplen kita bagi (Sabah) jaga muzium, tapi kali ni kita bagi dia luar bandar (if previously people complained we give (Sabah) the (Cultural, Arts and Heritage Ministry) this time we give him (Datuk Shafie Apdal) Rural and Regional Development)," he said.

Najib said he also gave the important portfolio of Plantation Industries and Commodities to Sabah (Tan Sri Bernard Dompok). In fact, he said he also assigned a Sabahan to become the Foreign Minister (Datuk Anifah Aman). He said if possible more Sabahans would be accommodated in his Cabinet but that it could not be expanded.

Nevertheless, he said the Deputy Ministers also play an important role towards the welfare of the people in Sabah, the State and the country in general. He said his maiden visit to Sabah in his capacity as PM would not be the first as he would be coming down here more often in the future.
He hoped to visit Sabah's interior such as Keningau so that he could meet the people there and help the State continue to develop under the BN.

Present were Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman and wife Datin Seri Faridah Tussin, Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia and wife and State Speaker Datuk Juhar Mahiruddin and wife.

DAILY EXPRESS MAY 5.