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As I had hinted yesterday, the pro-Alliance Kinabalu Sabah Times on July 18, 1975 chose as its frontpage headline the Bernama story filed from Penang with the heading "Tun returns today 'to put things right'". The same story was only given a single-column treatment on the frontpage of the pro-Berjaya Daily Express.
You would notice that the Tun (as he was affectionately referred to by his followers, after all he was the first Sabahan to become a Tun, being the first Governor) had called a press conference in Penang five hours after he arrived from Mecca. The report also said that the Tun earlier had a three-hour meeting with the then Federal Minister for Home Affairs, Tan Sri (now Tun) Ghazali Shafie.
Why Penang and why the meeting with Ghazali? Why couldn't the old man flew straight home to Sabah where the political situation had somewhat become chaotic and the people confused following the birth of Berjaya? Well, what the report didn't say was that the Tun was in Penang to meet former Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman. The Tun was more or less a protege of the Tunku who acted as mediator in the meeting in which Ghazali represented Prime Minister Tun Razak (father of present Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Najib). The Tunku wanted to save the Usno government in general and the Tun's Chief Ministership in particular, knowing that Tun Razak was behind Berjaya's formation.
You would notice that the Tun had arrived in a special executive jet. The Gruman jet, together with another one owned by the Sabah government, was also the target of criticism by Berjaya, saying it was a wastage of public funds. Although the two jets were supposed to be for the use of Sabah leaders, no one else including the then Governor dared to ask permission from the Tun to use them! One of the first acts of the Berjaya government after the 1976 state election was to sell thetwo aircrafts.
You would also notice that the report stated that the Tun had been to Mecca to perform the Umrah (minor Haj) and not London. To be fair to the late Tun (may his soul rest in peace) I don't really know where he had been but Berjaya insisted that the old man was in London having a good time. (Please see yesterday's report, what Mojuntin said.)
The headline had a sub-heading "No Break Away From Malaysia". This statement from the Tun was very necessary and it was what Kuala Lumpur wanted to hear as this break away allegation was one of the reasons behind Berjaya's formation, prompted by the late Razak. Apparently, in the Penang meeting brokered by the Tunku, the mentor made sure that his protege made that statement to calm Kuala Lumpur down at least for the time being.
Also in the frontpage was a report saying that the Federal Deputy Minister of Defence, Datuk Haji Dzulkifli Abdul Hamid (now the late) would remain in Usno and not join Berjaya as speculated. Dulkifli was one of Sabah's fastest rising political stars at that time, to the extent he was seen as a potential future Chief Minister. He joined the Sabah civil service after graduating from New Zealand and was soon made Tuaran district officer. It was during this time that he was active in the Sabah National Youth Association (SANYA) whose president was the Tun himself. The old man soon promoted the young graduate to become Under Secretary to the Chief Minister. Before long, he was further promoted as Assistant Minister to the Chief Minister and later a federal deputy minister, thus causing the envy or even jealousy of others. Dzul (as he was popularly known among the youths, me included) was rumoured to be one of the founder members of Berjaya but there were also rumours that he wasn't acceptable to Harris. In any case, given the situation at that time, I think Dzul made the right choice by staying in Usno for he would soon be further promoted to a full Sabah Cabinet Minister, and a Finance portfolio at that!
Also on the frontpage was a report that the Usno youth wing led by Datuk Haji Sakaran Dandai (now Tun Sakaran, the retired Governor) pledged full support to the Tun.
Lastly, there was a report which says "State Cabinet meets." According to the report, the meeting was chaired by Finance Minister Habib (not even the DCM Tan Sri Said). Also present, the report added, was Youth & Sports Minister Sakaran. My understanding of this report is that there were only two Mnisters present at that meeting. How can this be? Fom what I know, the quorum needed for a State Cabinet meeting to convene at that time was five(there were 9 ministers then including the CM). The report went on to say that the meeting was attended by 15 State Assemblymen. Again,how can this be as the Assemblymen were not members of the Cabinet? My guess is that it was just a gathering of the Assemblymen led by the two Ministers (others were probably already in Penang to welcome the Tun) but they made it look like a Cabinet meeting just to reassure Sabahans that the Alliance government was still intact and Usno still very much in control. But this is insulting the itelligence of Sabahans!
Yoku Boiti!
You would notice that the Tun (as he was affectionately referred to by his followers, after all he was the first Sabahan to become a Tun, being the first Governor) had called a press conference in Penang five hours after he arrived from Mecca. The report also said that the Tun earlier had a three-hour meeting with the then Federal Minister for Home Affairs, Tan Sri (now Tun) Ghazali Shafie.
Why Penang and why the meeting with Ghazali? Why couldn't the old man flew straight home to Sabah where the political situation had somewhat become chaotic and the people confused following the birth of Berjaya? Well, what the report didn't say was that the Tun was in Penang to meet former Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman. The Tun was more or less a protege of the Tunku who acted as mediator in the meeting in which Ghazali represented Prime Minister Tun Razak (father of present Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Najib). The Tunku wanted to save the Usno government in general and the Tun's Chief Ministership in particular, knowing that Tun Razak was behind Berjaya's formation.
You would notice that the Tun had arrived in a special executive jet. The Gruman jet, together with another one owned by the Sabah government, was also the target of criticism by Berjaya, saying it was a wastage of public funds. Although the two jets were supposed to be for the use of Sabah leaders, no one else including the then Governor dared to ask permission from the Tun to use them! One of the first acts of the Berjaya government after the 1976 state election was to sell thetwo aircrafts.
You would also notice that the report stated that the Tun had been to Mecca to perform the Umrah (minor Haj) and not London. To be fair to the late Tun (may his soul rest in peace) I don't really know where he had been but Berjaya insisted that the old man was in London having a good time. (Please see yesterday's report, what Mojuntin said.)
The headline had a sub-heading "No Break Away From Malaysia". This statement from the Tun was very necessary and it was what Kuala Lumpur wanted to hear as this break away allegation was one of the reasons behind Berjaya's formation, prompted by the late Razak. Apparently, in the Penang meeting brokered by the Tunku, the mentor made sure that his protege made that statement to calm Kuala Lumpur down at least for the time being.
Also in the frontpage was a report saying that the Federal Deputy Minister of Defence, Datuk Haji Dzulkifli Abdul Hamid (now the late) would remain in Usno and not join Berjaya as speculated. Dulkifli was one of Sabah's fastest rising political stars at that time, to the extent he was seen as a potential future Chief Minister. He joined the Sabah civil service after graduating from New Zealand and was soon made Tuaran district officer. It was during this time that he was active in the Sabah National Youth Association (SANYA) whose president was the Tun himself. The old man soon promoted the young graduate to become Under Secretary to the Chief Minister. Before long, he was further promoted as Assistant Minister to the Chief Minister and later a federal deputy minister, thus causing the envy or even jealousy of others. Dzul (as he was popularly known among the youths, me included) was rumoured to be one of the founder members of Berjaya but there were also rumours that he wasn't acceptable to Harris. In any case, given the situation at that time, I think Dzul made the right choice by staying in Usno for he would soon be further promoted to a full Sabah Cabinet Minister, and a Finance portfolio at that!
Also on the frontpage was a report that the Usno youth wing led by Datuk Haji Sakaran Dandai (now Tun Sakaran, the retired Governor) pledged full support to the Tun.
Lastly, there was a report which says "State Cabinet meets." According to the report, the meeting was chaired by Finance Minister Habib (not even the DCM Tan Sri Said). Also present, the report added, was Youth & Sports Minister Sakaran. My understanding of this report is that there were only two Mnisters present at that meeting. How can this be? Fom what I know, the quorum needed for a State Cabinet meeting to convene at that time was five(there were 9 ministers then including the CM). The report went on to say that the meeting was attended by 15 State Assemblymen. Again,how can this be as the Assemblymen were not members of the Cabinet? My guess is that it was just a gathering of the Assemblymen led by the two Ministers (others were probably already in Penang to welcome the Tun) but they made it look like a Cabinet meeting just to reassure Sabahans that the Alliance government was still intact and Usno still very much in control. But this is insulting the itelligence of Sabahans!
Yoku Boiti!
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