As a new arrival to Sabah, I know that the conditions described are true.
However, I shall like to say that:-
1. Sabah do not have effective leaders, who could outplay those from the Peninsula. Total lack of exposure while living in their coconut shells.
2. Sabahans are generally too laidback to want to make a difference in their own state. Again, quietly remaining within their coconut shells.
3. The greatest mistake that the writer accepts as virtue, is to bar West Malaysians from Sabah. This has resulted in this lamentable situation where Westies have no inkling of Sabah or Sarawak. Is it the fault of West Malaysians, that to travel within our own country, we are subject to the indignity of undergoing immigration checks and then allowed to remain in the state for only 3 months? Unable to seek jobs or even to set up a legitimate business? Are West Malaysians aliens in our own country?
How are we to get to know you, understand you and help you grow economically, when we are not even welcome to Sabah?
This has been put into the thinking of Sabahans for 45 years that Westies are threats to their economy. See what has happened? Sabah has become rich exploitation grounds for UMNO and their friends. Free from competition, they forage without fear and damn the whole state to poverty.
This is not the fault of the ordinary West Malaysian out to create mutual wealth in Sabah.
It is Sabahans believing their corrupt leaders and the Federal Government, who returned only 5% of the state’s wealth to the state. Who accepted this trinket payout and gave away Labuan? You, Sabahans, did through your very own leaders that you elected into power, time and time again. And for what did you get in return? Interrupted water supply, electrical blackouts, floods, high prices of all consumer goods, potholed and untarred roads and more.
Yet, at the same time, they boosted their demographics agenda by importing illegal Filipinos and Indonesians. These work in their industries and plantation and logging plants. While the Sabahan urbanites exploited them as coffeeshop workers, cooks, road sweepers and even as steady suppliers of your seafoods and vegetables! Yet you now choose to complain and continue to keep legitimate citizens of our country away from your shores.
As Sabah slipped into poverty, most of you continue to vote in those orchestrating your demise, in the last General Election. There was no excuse since PR fielded many able candidates to you to choose.
Don’t blame others for your predicament. Do the right thing NOW and move to REFORMASI. Sabah has indeed the potential to be a shining state for eco-tourism of Malaysia.
Do it!!!! Tell your leaders in no uncertain terms "Time for change is well & truly OVERDUE!"
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