By Datuk Mohd Azis Jamman
KOTA KINABALU: I have taken note of Chief Minister Hajiji’s recent remarks during the GRS Tuaran Annual Meeting, where he mentioned his approval of my children’s scholarship application as an example of his government’s fairness, even towards the opposition.
While I understand the pressures Hajiji is facing in trying to present his leadership as equitable ahead of the next state election, it is important to remind him of a fundamental principle: the Chief Minister is responsible for all Sabahans, not just the members of his political party, GRS.
I would like to extend my appreciation to the state government and, in particular, the staff of the scholarship division for carrying out their duties following the approval of my children’s scholarship, and I do appreciate Hajiji’s willingness to support and minuted ”OK, Sila Pertimbangkan” to my children’s application.
As Chief Minister, Hajiji must recognise the difference between his role as the President of Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah (PGRS) and his responsibilities as the leader of the state. When he was sworn in, he took an oath to serve all Sabahans without regard to race, religion, or political affiliation. Recommending a scholarship for a student whose parent is affiliated with the opposition does not equate to good governance. The job of a leader is to ensure fair and equal treatment for all, especially when it concerns access to education—a basic right for every Sabahan child.
It is worth reminding Hajiji that when I and my family approached him, we did not come as political opponents, but we came as father and mother and as citizens exercising a fundamental right to seek educational support for our children. My wife is not a politician, and my children should not be drawn into political point-scoring. If Hajiji’s grandson, the father of his nephew, who is also a member of Hajiji’s current cabinet line-up, has the right to apply for scholarships or loans and receive government assistance, why should my children’s applications be politicised simply because of my political affiliation? After all, my children’s scholarship applications meet the minimum requirement for them to be given approval, and if my children did not meet the minimum requirement, even with Hajiji’s recommendation, I am sure they will be rejected by the Scholarship Department. We all know the process and procedure, which is why I would like to take this opportunity to say thank you to all the government servants, especially at the Scholarship Department, for helping my children’s education.
I would also like to remind Hajiji that during Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal’s tenure as Chief Minister, he never enquired into the political affiliations of those seeking scholarships, land titles, or even projects. There were also many Sabahans who were given scholarships during Shafie’s tenure, and there were also members of the opposition at that time who came to see Shafie seeking help, but Shafie is professional enough to differentiate between politics and his responsibility as Chief Minister. Shafie served as a leader for all Sabahans. This is the standard of leadership Sabahans expect from their Chief Minister—colour-blind governance that upholds fairness and impartiality.
It is deeply concerning to see the politicisation of children’s education and scholarships. Chief Minister Hajiji must remember that these scholarships are funded by public money—taxes paid by all Sabahans, regardless of political leanings. They are not his personal funds to be used as political leverage.
Let us not lose sight of the bigger issues facing Sabah under the GRS government. Chief Minister Hajiji’s government has failed to deliver on most of its election promises. The inability to secure and protect Sabah’s rights under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) is glaring, as is the state’s poor economic performance. Local Sabahans continue to struggle to find jobs, and the rising cost of living remains unchecked. A lot of local Sabahans have been chased out of their customary land since Hajiji took office. The GRS government has also been unable to resolve Sabah’s ongoing water and electricity crises, which directly affect the daily lives of our people. In addition, there are 8 districts in Sabah, including Hajiji’s own constituent, Tuaran, listed as the poorest district in Malaysia.
I would also suggest for Hajiji to look into his counterpart in Sarawak, Pehin Sri Abang Johari, the Chief Minister of Sarawak, and learn from him when he announced that the state government of Sarawak is on track to provide free tertiary education to qualified Sarawak students at its five institutions of higher learning by 2026 regardless of their race, religion, and the parents political ideology, but here we are in Sabah. Hajiji is trying to divert his failure to administer Sabah and using the children of an opposition leader application for scholarship to further their study in order to score a political point.
It is evident that these pressing issues are taking a toll on Hajiji’s administration, and it is unfortunate that he has chosen to highlight my children’s scholarship in an attempt to divert attention from his government’s shortcomings. The reality is that GRS has been a failure in leading Sabah, and the people deserve better leadership—one that genuinely prioritises the welfare and future of all Sabahans.
