Wait for the Dewan debate, says Mojigoh

Source : Daily Express 12/05/2010

Kota Kinabalu: Putatan MP Datuk Dr Marcus Mojigoh believes the Brunei border petroleum blocks issue will be debated well when Parliament convenes on June 7 and that it will be his first question to the Government.

"Be patient, the Government will have its full explanation on this," he said, in response to SAPP President Datuk Yong Teck Lee's insistence that the two blocks had been ceded to Brunei.

Alternatively, he said Yong's Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) should produce evidence that there are government documents stating Blocks L and M were actually within Sabah waters.

"Show the people these documents because SAPP is actually implying that the State Attorney-General had made a misleading statement," said Mojigoh.

He said SAPP was also implying that the State A-G was not telling the truth or hiding something when telling Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman that no Sabah area was ceded.

Mojigoh said Yong, as a former Chief Minister, should know this well.

"I appreciate Yong's statement. The question of (me) boasting does not arise and I think the word (used by Yong to refer to his statement) is a bit harsh for a gentleman," he said, Tuesday.

Mojigoh, who is Upko Treasurer General, said Yong should show any form of document that state Block L and M were within the maritime boundary in reference to Sabah within Malaysia apart from just talking about historical events.

"All we know is that those letters of exchange and related documents never say that these two blocks are within Sabah territory," he said.

Towards this end, Mojigoh said Yong was running away from the main issue that he had raised. "If Yong could not produce the document then the people would think he is lying."

Mojigoh also disputed Yong's contention that Murphy Sabah Oil Ltd is only operating within Sabah and that Yong must also not confuse the people by dragging Sipadan Ligitan and Layang Layang Atoll into the fray because the issues were totally different from the oil blocks.

"They are landed areas, which by customary are ours.

"Blocks L and M are purely watered areas ... no island there," he said, adding it cannot be denied that Malaysia has an operating right there not because they appeared to be part of Limbang's interest but because of Malaysia's prevailing cordial relationship with Brunei.

Mojigoh said what Yong should be calling for is for both governments to finalise the maritime demarcation and not harp on the sentiment of the Sabah people as if the Federal Government could anytime give away their land to outsiders at the whim and fancies of the Prime Minister.

"It is very dangerous and not good," he said.

In this respect, his earlier statement, he said, was actually telling Yong and Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan that they were barking up the wrong tree.

"Let us not be drowned by our emotion ... let's look at the real issues by looking at the matters positively.

There are more pressing issues like the finalisation of our maritime boundary ... these issues need immediate solution," he said.

He said it was for this reason that he "threw the rope of friendship to certain friends who might have gone off line (course) to scramble back to the platform of discussion" instead of making wild allegations as if the government had committed a deadly sin.

"Don't say that Sabah MPs have no heart for Sabah, don't insult us," he said, while agreeing that Malaysians in Sabah have every right to be concerned about the matter.