This is a typical case of opposing for the sake of opposing
Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Deputy Secretary-General Datuk Ho Jia Lit yesterday took Sabah Democratic Action Party (DAP) Secretary Chan Foong Hin to task for politicizing the matter of establishing strategic partnership between Sepanggar Port and Chinese ports in order to gain cheap publicity.
“This is a typical case of opposing for the sake of opposing.
“Chan has exposed his tendency to politicize everything in order to gain cheap publicity.”
Ho was perplexed as to why Chan had such a big reaction to the State Government’s aspiration to forge strategic partnership between Sepanggar and one of the ports in China as conveyed by the Minister of Special Tasks Datuk Teo Chee Kang to the outgoing Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in Kota Kinabalu, Chen Peijie.
He pointed out that Chan in his statement claimed that Sepanggar Port’s interest in establishing partnership with Chinese ports was proof that the Federal Government had no intention of developing Sepanggar Port.
“What he said was completely illogical.
“The State Government’s aspiration of establishing strategic port partnership with China and the development of Sepanggar Port by the Federal Government are two separate matters.
“Why does Chan have to undermine the State Government’s effort to seek more development opportunities for our ports?”
Ho said Chan was also aware that the Federal Government has allocated RM 1.1 billion to expand Sepanggar Bay Container Port (SBCP).
“Why would the Federal Government allocate the funds if they do not care about SBCP at all?
“Besides, Chan himself said that the RM 1.1 billion allocation to expand SBCP would not achieve the desired result without creating new routes.
“So why undermine the State Government’s initiative to open up new routes through strategic partnership with China?”
Ho said Chan should not oppose for the sake of opposing even though he is an opposition member, nor should he politicize all issues.
“We will not be able to progress if Sabah politics is full of constant verbal sparring.”
He said the RM 1.1 billion allocated by the Federal Government and exemption of the cabotage policy for Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan were among the measures taken by the Federal Government to assist the development of Sepanggar Port.
“But development takes time. It cannot happen overnight. Rome was not built in a day.”
He said the development of Sepanggar Port not only required the construction of hard infrastructure and facilities, but also new routes and relations with other ports.
“Forging strategic partnership with Chinese ports is a way of using soft power, which when coupled with effective policy, will transform Sepanggar Port into a transshipment hub.”
