By: Mohd Jefri Radius
AT the recent Upko's convention, its Bingkor Assemblyman Datuk Justin Guka proposed reviving the CM Rotation concept of 1994-2004 by having the earlier version reviewed to a longer (four years) tenure to whoever is taking turns to be the Chief Minister.
Upko's President Tan Sri Bernard Dompok-cum-Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister was quoted as saying "This is what democracy is all about - the people are free to express themselves.
Of course, this was just one of the many resolutions raised by party divisions, which they at the leadership level, had to digest before making a decision."
Some BN parties in Sabah would no doubt be happy and support such proposal. But whether BN Chairman Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak would give his blessing to revive Tun Dr Mahathir's brainchild for Sabah politics, after giving careful consideration to the pros and cons while the Rotation System was implemented in Sabah politics before it was scrapped in 2004, is another question.
On the broader perspective, any political organisation that commands the majority or gathers sufficient seats or simple majority, after the polls, cannot be denied from forming the government be it at state or national Level.
However, history in Sabah has a lot to tell about the uniqueness of the reality that had changed its political landscape. It might even contradict the basic principles of democracy.
The Rotation system for a period of two year sfor each CM introduced during the Mahathir Administration was specially designed with the political mission and vision of consolidating the people of Sabah, in the wake of Umno's success in 1994 in toppling the then PBS Opposition State Government which had been at the helm of administration for nine years.
It was considered very timely at that time so to speak.
By virtue of the Rotation system, a Chief Minister was chosen and appointed from among the ruling BN component parties in Sabah with the blessing of the Head of State, to represent the Muslim Bumiputera, Non-Muslim Bumiputera and Chinese communities for a period of two years.
The system paved the opportunity to the BN component parties, including a party which won only one State seat to become the Chief Minister of Sabah (former President of Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Tan Sri Chong Kah Kiat)
Dr Mahathir, was not politically aware of the social and economic implications and the consequential results of the system that he introduced in Sabah. It had an adverse effect on the people of Sabah to some extent.
Neither did Tun Dr Mahathir stake high hopes nor his political strategy to contribute to the State's economy.
Indeed, it was a brilliant move in his political chessboard to incorporate a combination of power sharing just for the sake of uniting the Sabahans regardless of races, creeds and belief etc.
However, loopholes surfaced at the expanse of the State 's economic development.
Former Permanent Secretary in the State Finance Ministry Datuk Yusof Mohd Kassim once disclosed the " Rotation dried up State Treasury" (D.E 2nd Feb 2010). This was supported by Datuk Herbert Timbon Lagadan, the Vice President of PBS, who said " The End of Rotation was `a blessing" (D.E 5th Feb 2010).
Yusof deserves praise for telling the truth on what our political leaders would rather hide - the State Treasury by political cronies every two years and why ?
Could we blame the extravagant, opportunistic attitudes or mentalities of some of the CMs in question, who took turns to rule and were running against time? Could we pin it down to immaturity or incapabilities of the respective CMs while entrusted to hold the State's top political post ?
The short span allocated is one factor and the maturity and capability of the person being appointed CM to take turn occupying the position is another factor.
During the Rotation, it was an open secret that various government departments spent millions of ringgit in vehicle rentals from Angakatan Hebat when the State Coffer was facing financial constraints.
The State lost Sabah Bank that has since become successful as Alliance Bank and the so called management buyout involving KPD's assets is no exception. It was crony and hypocrisy at its height to see some of the people who were in charge during the sale are now seen fit to advise the State Government.
It also resulted in numerous lop-sided deals.
In my previous article on 28th Feb 2010 entitled Sabahans now realise that Rotation was a curse", some paragraphs read " The change of CMs every two years under the Rotation infused a series of administrative and socio-economic complications. A number of Government assets were sold and privatised if that had not been done so under PBS and the Forest Management Unit (FMU) Concept was no exception as well"
In 1997, the State Reserve was only about RM60 million which according to Kassim, was only enough to pay the salaries of State Civil Servants for the two next months. The amount increased to RM300 million after the 1997-2000 Asian Economic Crisis"
However, when Datuk Seri Musa Aman took over the baton from Chong as the CM until the abolishment of the Rotation System in 2004, he managed to restore the financial status of the State's Coffers, whereby the State Coffer generated a total reserve of about RM 2.4billion. A success that no Sabah CM has attained.
Generally, it was the post-rotation administration under Musa that was able to strengthen the financial status of the State Coffer apart from bringing robust economic growth, which some had in turn tagging the State to be the first State Government to get the Triple A Rating from RAM Service Sdn Bhd.
Hence, Justin's view is just a motion brought forth to the views of the party's delegates and certainly such a proposal is nothing wrong.
However, the effort to bring back to life something proven to have an adverse effect during it implementation is not worth an effort in the true sense of the word and for a number of reasons.
The excuses that a CM would need more time instead of the two -year during the Rotation System before he could be seen as " an efficient and contributive leader playing his roles" is viewed as short sighted and not acceptable. Only those vested with opportunistic political agenda would think so, but not those who are truly genuine in their political commitment to serve the people and the State.
Sensibly, we would support a CM who could produce results during the 24 months of office rather than those holding the post for 48 months or more, without doing anything at all other than to satisfy their own personal political interest.
It is worth recollecting the wisdom of former First Asian Secretary General to the United Nation from the Republic of The Philippines Carlos P. Romulo, while addressing the General Assembly in the late 60s, he said: "In this world beset by unpredicted problems we seek alliances to struggle and to uplift the dignity of mankind, we find strength and vigor not in the number of our years but in the intensity and scope of our commitment."
This is a testimony of a political leader of an Asian ethnic, who left a significant universal message to the new generation of politicians to ponder that their scope of political commitment will be judged based upon the performance and achievements thus far rather the number of years in office
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