Setting Warisan Ablaze with Bersatu’s Fire?

Selvaraja Somiah

It may seem that the war of words between Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Shafie Apdal began with some confusion over the issue on how many seats were initially secured by Parti Warisan Sabah on the night of May 9th GE14 elections. On one hand, rumour has it that Dr Mahathir believed Warisan should have secured 35 seats instead of a dismal 21 seats. Today, Shafie Apdal has claimed to having 45 seats in the Dewan. The question here is, what are his intentions?

As soon as it was established by the court that Warisan had become the legitimate government, things began to change. As we all know, absolute power corrupts absolutely. Beginning with the repeal of the TYT term and giving him unlimited extension. Many opposed the move but those who have supported him did so to curry favour with Shafie with the hope of getting personal rewards, some say. Even the Minister of Finance was taken up by Shafie in vowing not to follow the footsteps of his predecessor Musa Aman.

After nine months in power it was later admitted that the state had in fact RM 4 billion in government reserve. In the beginning it was reported by Shafie that the treasury has empty coffer which readily made people believe.

Warisan became the state government only through the support of UPKO, without whom, Shafie could not have become Chief Minister and Wilfred Tangau, Deputy Chief Minister. In a sense, the two live for each other. Warisan leaders were also given a number of full federal ministry posts, Darell Leiking, VK Liew and Mohd Din Ketapi and their choice of Sabahan personnel.

The spate of fire in the squatter colonies in Likas/Sepanggar, Banggi, and elsewhere have suspicion ignited. All these fires only occurred in squatter colonies all over Sabah and this is unique and devoid of logic. During the fires people were said to be seen rushing to save their televisions, refrigerators, mattresses and other household goods, but not their personal documents. Those affected by the fire are known for their illegal statuses and it was suspicious that these acts of arson kept happening only in those squatter colonies.

Then, the State Minister of Law and Native Affairs Aidi Moktar claimed the government would review the law on whether the Bugis and Jawa communities can be considered as natives in Sabah. Rumours indicated that it is because of the fear that Datu Akjan the self proclaimed “ Sultan Sulu” was taking away the Suluk and Tausug vote bank from Warisan to Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia’s (PPBM). It did seem apparent that there is a grand design to distort the Sabah political landscape and cause a racial imbalance for political purpose, once again.

Then thousands turned up at NRD centres, all allegedly foreign looking individuals. The state director of NRD said that the department was conducting census, an alteration of shifting demographics. There was even a report that thousands have been issued late birth certificates in several parts of Sabah with substantial population of immigrants.

With all these happenings in Sabah the last nine months, for sure the Special Branch must be reporting to Prime Minister Dr Mahathir. And those receiving big favours from the government especially the millions changing hands at the Harbour Trade legal firm in Kota Kinabalu have plenty to be worried now. Naturally nothing is secret anymore especially with social media i.e Facebook, Whatsapp and blogs that could go viral and influence the course of events.

The tide has certainly shifted with the sudden change of mood between Warisan and Bersatu.Their arrival in to Sabah leaves no credible opposition in the state. Bersatu’s arrival can be seen as an attempt to monitor the activities of the state government. As a part of the PH central government, Bersatu or its appointed allies in Sabah can provide check and balance, based on the “rule of law”. The fear many locals share with me is that any uprising in the future is possible when a large population of illegal immigrants is present in the state and comfortable with a sitting government. Sabah is facing an existential treat and I’m certain Shafie is aware, which is why he has met with the Philippines ambassador to raise Sabah’s concerns that security threat in the southern Philippines might spill over. I can only caution the state of the events in 1976 fall of USNO. That too was a similar threat to the then ruling PM, and if left not monitored, history will indeed repeat itself.