KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Umno leaders have hit out at Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) information chief Datuk Joniston Bangkuai for questioning the formation of Madani Village Development Committees (JKDM) in Sabah.
Bangkuai, who is also Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) information chief, had said the decision could represent a "divide and conquer" tactic to fortify Umno's influence in the region.
State Umno election director Jeffery Nor Mohamed said all state-level and grassroots positions were already monopolised by GRS.
“Appointments to the Village Development and Security Committee (JKKK), Community Development Leader Unit (UPPM), as well as village heads (among others), were only (from) among (GRS) while those from Umno were sacked,” he said in a statement on Thursday (May 16).
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“Have they forgotten that the state government was initially formed by Sabah Barisan Nasional and Bersatu, and the current Chief Minister came from that cooperation?" he added.
Bangkuai had claimed that setting up the JKDM, an initiative by the Rural and Regional Development Ministry led by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi – who is also Umno president – undermined the existing JKKK which operates under the jurisdiction of the state government.
He contended that such an action contradicted the essence of the Madani concept promoted by the Federal Government, which is supposed to bolster understanding, cooperation and unity.
Datuk Abdul Aziz Julkarnain, the political secretary to Sabah Umno chief Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin, said Bangkuai’s statement was inappropriate coming from the information chief of a party that supported the unity government.
He added that questioning the efforts of the government to help revive the economy at village and rural level was puzzling.
He said the Madani Village Community was announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim last year, with an allocation of RM1bil in Budget 2024.
Abdul Aziz said it was aimed at uplifting the people's economic status and eradicating poverty, and would be implemented nationwide by the Rural and Regional Development Ministry as well as the Implementation Coordination Unit of the Prime Minister's Department.
“Other states such as Selangor, Kelantan, Kedah, Terengganu and Perlis are also implementing similar initiatives and are pleased to utilise the allocated funds.
“Unfortunately, Bangkuai, as an assistant minister in the GRS government, rejects these commendable efforts and initiatives. Perhaps because they prioritise their political mileage over the welfare of the people?
“Lest they forget, the people are becoming increasingly aware that the poverty rate in Sabah is worsening under the GRS government.
“Therefore, all assistance and allocations from the Federal Government are highly welcomed,” Abdul Aziz said.
He said that if Bangkuai felt strongly that Putrajaya's programmes would divide the people of Sabah, he should propose closing all federal agency and ministry offices in the state at the next legislative assembly meeting.
