By: SAPP MEDIA THE worsening flood situation in Kota Marudu clearly showed that the Barisan Nasional (BN) leaders in Sabah are not really in power despite holding office. “What our party President Datuk Yong Teck Lee has pointed out that the BN leaders in Sabah are in office but not in power is clearly shown in this case,” said Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) Information Chief, Chong Pit Fah. He said Kota Marudu is represented by Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) Deputy President Datuk Dr Maximus Ongkili and who is the Federal Science, Technology and Innovation Minister but despite of the huge power of the ministry he (Maximus) could not even get sufficient funding to mitigate the flood in his constituency. Chong said the issue was raised by Yong last week saying that it was time for political leaders in Sabah who only care for themselves and not the electorates to go. “The fact is that these so-called leaders who supposedly holding office in Kuala Lumpur dare not open their mouth to raise the issue of the people in Sabah because they are afraid that once doing so they will incur the wrath of their political master,” said Chong in a statement here Tuesday. In the Kota Marudu case, it seemed that Maximus himself could not get funding to do a comprehensive flood mitigation programme in his own constituency. “Is he afraid of his political masters in Kuala Lumpur to ask what is due for the people in his constituency?” asked Chong. Perhaps, he said all that are needed to mitigate flood and assistance for the victims would come pouring immediately from the Federal government if there is a by-election like what had been seen in the recent Tenang by-election. Kota Marudu Police Chief, DSP Mohd Isa was reported in a local daily today saying that as of 6pm Monday, more than 3,000 people from 448 families had been evacuated to nine temporary relief centres in Kota Marudu after flood hit 16 villages with water at Bandau and Bongon rivers rising to 7.8 metres.
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