KOTA KINABALU - “The devastating floods in Tenom the last 2 days show the need to re-think and rationalise the federal-Sabah administrative set-up. We cannot continue to allow the disparity in the treatment of Sabahans compared to the counterparts in the Peninsula by the federal government and federal agencies” said Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan, STAR Sabah Chief after making visiting the Tenom flood areas.
There was practically no effort made by the departments and relief agencies to render any assistance to the flood victims in Tenom complained the affected villagers.
“The main problem is that these federal departments and agencies are all under federal control. The fire and rescue department was only put on standby while the floods inundated many villages and left many villagers stranded” observed Dr. Jeffrey.
“Even the Sabah government failed to mobilize any relief effort with the District Office said to be put on alert only” added Dr. Jeffrey.
“Do they (the federal agencies) only act when casualties are involved?” queried Dr. Jeffrey while noting that a villager had used the trunk of a floating banana tree as assistance in the flood waters.
Where are the federal agencies?
There was practically no effort made by the departments and relief agencies to render any assistance to the flood victims in Tenom complained the affected villagers.
“The main problem is that these federal departments and agencies are all under federal control. The fire and rescue department was only put on standby while the floods inundated many villages and left many villagers stranded” observed Dr. Jeffrey.
“Even the Sabah government failed to mobilize any relief effort with the District Office said to be put on alert only” added Dr. Jeffrey.
“Do they (the federal agencies) only act when casualties are involved?” queried Dr. Jeffrey while noting that a villager had used the trunk of a floating banana tree as assistance in the flood waters.
Where are the federal agencies?
Where are the flood food rations?
When is the Prime Minister going to visit Tenom?
Where is the RM500 federal flood aid that were given to affected villagers in the Peninsula?
The worst affected areas included Kg. Saga, Kg. Batu and Kg. Bantungan in Lagud Sebrang, several villages in Tenom Lama and Kg. Dumantalik, the village of the Umno assemblyman for Kemabong. Even though Tenom is an Umno constituency, the lack of relief and the treatment by the federal government through its agencies is totally unacceptable. One wonders what would be the response if the flooded area was not in Umno territory.
If the weather situation does not improve, the further rains later this month will inundate and flood more areas especially in low-lying and in the interiors.
The Sabah government should take immediate steps to activate a Natural Disaster and Relief Committee so that action can be taken to alleviate the flood situation.
“It should not let the flood situation to get out of hand like the Tenom floods as it was reported in the local newpapers on 14 September 2013 putting the Tenom villagers on flood alert” noted Dr. Jeffrey.
The Sabah government also needs to re-assess the federal-Sabah administrative set-up and initiate the move to rationalize these agencies to be under the control of the Sabah government and have the federal funds channeled to the Sabah government.
What is the point of sending RM26.6 billion in Sabah’s oil and gas revenue to the Peninsula, which does not include other federal revenues collected from Sabah, when the federal government does nothing to help the affected villagers in an emergency like the floods?
“Otherwise, we might as well take back and keep the RM26.6 billion in 2014 and the 6% GST in 2015 in Sabah so that the Sabah government can use the funds to look after their people” concluded Dr. Jeffrey.
Wikisabah
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