Kota Kinabalu, Thursday, 1 May 2025
Gagasan junior divisional leaders at Kiulu and Bingkor who literally challenged USNO, a GRS member party, to leave GRS if USNO felt belittled, should remember the reality and history of Sabah politics.
The reality is that Gagasan is not as strong as UMNO before UMNO’s downfall in 2018.
Similarly, the GRS coalition is not as strong as the BN coalition in 2018. Let’s be honest with ourselves. As the old saying goes, honesty is the best policy.
Yet, some Gagasan junior leaders behave and talk as though they are as big and powerful as UMNO at its (UMNO’s) peak when in power before 2018.
Gagasan should teach their junior leaders some of Sabah’s history, lest history repeats itself.
History No. 1 – UMNO belittled UPKO
I still recall that in 2006, UMNO had arrogantly challenged UPKO to leave the then ruling BN because UPKO was vehemently opposing (successfully) the relocation of non-local squatters from Putatan to Kg. Maang at Penampang because of the serious disruption to the demography of Penampang that could have been caused by the new settlers at Kg. Maang. I have never seen UPKO been publicly belittled like that.
Well, when the time came and UPKO finally did leave BN in 2018, BN-UMNO immediately fell from power in a dramatic fashion. Timing is everything. And, tomorrow, UPKO will be happily celebrating its 31st Anniversary.
History No. 2 – USNO and Labuan 1984
Another dramatic fall from power happened in 1985 one year after the then dominant BN had expelled parti USNO from BN at its fateful meeting at Labuan on 15 April 1984 on the eve of the tragic federalisation of Labuan (on 16 April 1984).
USNO was expelled from the ruling BN coalition because USNO had opposed the federalisation of Labuan. In the following state elections on 20 & 21 April 1985 (when the BN Prime Minister had made its infamous pledge to “sink or swim” with the sole BN component party BERJAYA), the high and mighty party BN-BERJAYA was reduced from its 44 seats to a measly 6 seats. Opposition PBS and USNO and PASOK captured the rest of the 48 seats. Party BERJAYA, which had a monopoly of power, was crushed by the will of the Sabah people at the ballot box.
Hajiji an inclusive leader
Gagasan junior divisional leaders should emulate the inclusive character of GRS/Gagasan leader, YAB Datuk Hj. Hajiji Hj. Noor, and work on strengthening GRS by, first of all, honestly evaluating our GRS’s own strengths and weaknesses. Start by relooking at the Sabah Government bureaucracy and delivery system. And practise our own RUMAH KITA, KITA JAGA slogan.
GRS is also fortunate to have a very capable Minister of Finance, the party Gagasan deputy president, who has had to make difficult but necessary decisions in managing Sabah’s finances and getting more revenues from Sabah’s oil and gas sector.
But the implementation of government projects for ordinary people needs more urgency and efficiency.
Datuk Yong Teck Lee
President, SAPP
Deputy Chairman, GRS
Ex-Chief Minister May 1996 – May 1998
Attached:
(Archive news: Courtesy of Daily Express)
Archive news of the 1984 expulsion of USNO from BN at Labuan
Archive news of 1985 Sabah Elections campaign “Sink or Swim”
Archive news of 1985 “PBS toppling BN-BERJAYA”