THE lack of a Sabah leader in the 12-member Pakatan Harapan presidential council is a non-issue, said state DAP secretary-general Chan Foong Hin.

He said it was too early for those in Barisan Nasional to make assumptions on the PH list submitted to the Registrar of Societies (RoS).

“There will definitely be a Sabahan representative in the next stage, once RoS approves the application of more council members.

“PH is a coalition of equals. It’s different from BN, where Umno is dominant.”

Chan said the key positions in BN, like chairman and deputy chairman, were filled by Umno leaders, while leaders of the 12 other component parties settled for secondary roles, like vice chairman, “without real power”.

The Sri Tanjong assemblyman said Sabahans who were appointed to key positions did not have a say, as all power was in the hands of Umno leaders.

“Does Salleh Said Keruak’s appointment as BN treasurer show that Sabah’s rights are being upheld by BN?

“The power structure is still rigid, with Umno being dominant in the key decision-making.”

Sabah Liberal Democratic Party vice-president Chin Shu Ying yesterday questioned the state DAP about the lack of its leaders in the PH core leadership, asking how Sabah’s rights would be defended if there was no representation.

On the state’s rights, Chan said PH Youth had proposed a 20% oil royalty and for 50% of total tax revenue collected from Sabah and Sarawak to be returned to the states’ coffers in view of the Malaysia Agreement 1963.

He said the state DAP had also made it clear that it would decentralise federal powers to Sabah and Sarawak, to provide more autonomy to the states.

He added that the party’s struggle with regard to Sabah and Sarawak’s rights was consistent, citing DAP veteran leader Lim Kit Siang, who was among the members of parliament who opposed the downgrading of the two states’ status in 1976.

“Lim was also the first MP to raise the issue of Batu Sumpah, and more recently, he demanded that Chief Justice of Sabah and Sarawak Richard Malanjun replace Md Raus Sharif, whose tenure as chief justice was extended.”

Chan said it was pointless for BN to have many Sabah and Sarawak MPs if none was able to protect their states’ rights, especially concerning matters that breached the Malaysia Agreement 1963, such as the tourism tax. – July 20, 2017.