KOTA KINABALU: Leaders of the Sabah Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) have been reminded of the pivotal role Sabah Umno played in appointing a Chief Minister from the LDP in 2001.
Sabah Umno election director Jeffery Nor Mohamed highlighted that the Barisan Nasional government, led by Umno at the time, appointed the then LDP president Tan Sri Chong Kah Kiat as Sabah Chief Minister, despite the party holding only two state assembly seats.
"If not for Barisan, there is no certainty that such an opportunity to become Chief Minister would have been possible until now," he stated in a recent statement.
He also criticised LDP vice president David Ong's remarks questioning BN and Umno's contributions to Sabah, suggesting they overlooked political history and the fact that many former Barisan leaders are now aligned with the LDP.
"What was recently stated also refers to past Barisan leaders who are now in other parties and currently aligned with you (LDP). So, does your statement mean that you are blaming those who were once Barisan leaders?" Jeffery questioned.
He pointed out that infrastructure issues in Sabah have worsened, particularly the ongoing treated water supply problem, despite the state government's claims of high revenue.
"Are things worse now than they were before? The issue of treated water supply remains a major problem for the people, and there is still no significant sign that this problem will be solved anytime soon," he said.
Jeffery emphasised the need for proper checks and balances to prevent delays in development projects, citing the stagnant Pan Borneo Highway project, especially from Beaufort to Sipitang.
He noted that Sabah Umno is allowing the LDP, as part of the ruling Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) coalition, the space to introduce dynamic policies that benefit the people, rather than maintaining the status quo.
However, he stressed that the party would not hesitate to speak out if the government failed to prioritise public welfare.
"We will always provide constructive criticism if the interests of the people of Sabah are not prioritised or are neglected," he added.
