KOTA KINABALU: Opposition Parti Warisan took Sabah DAP leaders to task for trying to "hype up" Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor's promise to the Chinese to include a Deputy Chief Minister from the community.
Warisan legal advisor Chin Tek Ming said that the state DAP chairman Datuk Phoong Jin Zhe and his deputy Datuk Chan Foong Hin went overboard to welcome Hajiji's "good news" for the community if Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) won the next state election.
At a dinner with the Chinese community earlier this week, Hajiji promised to appoint a Deputy Chief Minister from the community, increasing next year’s allocation for non-Muslims including funds for Chinese education and independent Chinese secondary schools, and recognition of the UEC (Unified Examination Certificate).
Chin said that Hajiji’s announcement was nothing new, as these so-called “good news” had already been implemented during Warisan’s administration in 2018-20.
“Phoong Jin Zhe and Chan Foong Hin were both part of the Warisan-Pakatan government.
"They are fully aware of these policies that were implemented back then, so why do they need to flatter Hajiji’s announcement now to such an extent, thereby lowering themselves?" he added.
Appointing a Chinese to be among one of the three deputy chief minister was already a convention since the late 1980s but after winning the 2020 state election Hajiji did not appoint a Chinese to be deputy chief minister even though Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) president Datuk Seri Yong Teck Lee was an assemblyman from GRS.
"Yong is an experienced appointed assemblyman and if the GRS government was sincere, it could very well consider Yong as a candidate for the position," Chin said.
He said during Warisan’s administration Datuk Seri Christina Liew was appointed Deputy Chief Minister and four Chinese ministers were included in the cabinet where else Hajiji's first Cabinet did not have any Chinese ministers and only included two Chinese leaders in Cabinet when his state government was propped up by Sabah Pakatan in January 2023.
Three deputy chief minister positions were created in the late 1980s by the Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) government to reflect the Muslim bumiputera, non-Muslim bumiputera and Chinese communities in the government.
Chin said that the Warisan state government under Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal had already announced the recognition of UEC in 2019 and allowed them to work in the state government.
"Why did they announce the matter again if it had already been recognized in 2019, is there a problem arising in its implementation," Chin asked.
Chin alleged that both Sabah DAP leaders were misleading the community by trying to portray Hajiji's "good news" for the community as new.
“The people should remain calm and vigilant, examine the facts from multiple perspectives and then make their judgment,” he said, adding that it is important to be vigilant over the “good news” announcement for the community by GRS.
