KOTA KINABALU, August 22, 2019: When the Assistant Education and Innovation Minister Jenifer Lasimbang said that “Sabah has little say” on education policy implemented by the federal ministry, she had admittedly conceded that the Sabah government and its state education ministry is just a rubber stamp to policies by the federal government.
“But this is just the opposite of its party manifesto during the 14th General Election calling for restoration of Sabah Autonomy,” said Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) Vice President, Aloysius Siap.
“As a state assistant minister in charge of education, Jenifer has a duty and responsibility to speak up for Sabahans, voice out aspirations or grievances of the people instead of kowtowing to whatever decisions made by the federal ministry.
“When Warisan took over the Sabah government, the Chief Minister restructured the Sabah cabinet by reviving the Education Ministry in an effort to take over education portfolio from the federal government as a devolution of power promised in the manifesto of the Pakatan Harapan coalition, which is now in power today.
“Sabah just lost its so-called autonomy by conceding without a fight,” said Aloysius.
He said that while many KDM parents wished their children could learn their “mother tongue” in vernacular schools, the Sabah education ministry should put more resources to strengthen the teaching of proper Kadazan language.
“The language is like our culture, if we as KDM, do not preserve our own language, who else will,” he contended.