“1Malaysia. Govt 1st. People Last”

By Ronnie Klassen

ONCE AGAIN, the Barisan Nasional (BN) led Sabah State Government demonstrated its “sheer callousness and arrogance” by approving salary hikes for the State Cabinet Ministers, Assistant Ministers, House Speaker, Deputy Speakers, assemblymen and political secretaries, between 10 and 30 per cent beginning June 1.

“Sheer callousness and arrogance” because this was done in a time when a majority of the people in the country, Sabah especially, is feeling the pinch of the global economy downturn.

Assistant Minister to the Chief Minister, Datuk Radin Malleh (pic right) of Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) even got the cheek to say that "the increment was in line with the increasing cost of living".

If even the Chief Minister Datuk Musa Aman (pic below) and his Cabinet Ministers are being affected by the increasing cost of living, what about the ordinary folks of Sabah then, who do not have all the perks and privileges enjoyed by the formers of who live in luxurious houses and chauffeur-driven in Government vehicles which fuel expenses and maintenance fully borne by the taxpayers?

Why not take a pay cut and experience the hardship that the people are going through now? This way they can truly be with the people – "berat sama dipikul, ringan sama dijinjang". After all, weren't assemblymen elected to serve the people? Or do they feel they deserve more than what they are getting after having worked so hard turning Sabah into the poorest state in Malaysia through lop-sided deals, inflated negotiated tenders and 'duty-free' logging??

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