The start of Parliamentary Session this time was so much awaited as there was rumours of BN MPs especially those from Sabah to cross over to Pakatan Rakyat (PR). The PR bloc is just short of 30 more MPs to make them majority and dissolve the Federal Government of Pak Lah. The ousted former Finance Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who is now the much anticipated "PM in waiting" was reported to woo Sabah MPs to cross over to PR especially to his party, Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR).
Wednesday, was the day that is touted t be the day when the MPs would cross over to the other bloc.Nothing happened.
The Sabah MPs have been vocal lately to expressed their grouses regarding the matter of Sabah to the extent that they event hinted to cross over, though a couple of the senior MPs, namely Anisah Aman and Abdul Ghapur Salleh denied the rumours that the MPs are crossing over.
Why would they cross over, you'd ask?Here's why:
1.For all of these years, the East Malaysia's MPs of BN had only become the subset to the BN MPs in Parliament, as the BN from Peninsular is much more in numbers. The BN doesn't really need them back then. But after the General Election 2008, the MPs from Sabah and Sarawak is the major factor of the BN to retain as Federal Government.
2.Have you been to Sabah?There are more immigrants then local people there. For decades, immigrants from Indonesia and the Phillipines have been migrating into Sabah without any stern action from the authority.
3.The cost of living over there is slightly higher than in Peninsular, with everyday's groceries is more pricey.Books, stationery,cooking oil, gas,evrything is higher over there but their income is much lesser than us here in Peninsular.
4.Sabah and Sarawak has been contributing very much to Malaysia's economic growth, after all they ae the major producer of Malaysia's petroleum,palm oil and logs.But still they only tasted a piece of the nation's income.
5.There hardly any major effort from the Federal Government to address their grouses and dissatisfaction.
Kama,
ReplyDeleteFor your information, the Government had addressed this issue by standardising prices nationwide next month. So, everyone in the country will be paying the same price no matter you are in Sabah & Sarawak or Peninsular Malaysia.
The argument raised by the consumers in both states(Sabah & Sarawak) is the price of gas, which is cheaper in the peninsula although it is produced in Bintulu.
well, I guess its a cheer news for them! :)