Madius to move motion on return of Labuan

Kota Kinabalu: Tuaran Member of Parliament Datuk Seri Wilfred Madius Tangau will move a motion in Parliament requesting the Federal Government to return Labuan to Sabah.

In a statement on his Facebook page Tuesday, Madius said regardless of the Sabah Government’s intention in handing over Labuan to the Federal Government on April 16, 1984, many now view the decision as regrettable.

According to a Daily Express report dated November 11, 2017, Tan Sri Harris Salleh, the former Chief Minister of Sabah responsible for transferring Labuan to the Federal Government, did so without any compensation whatsoever (in 1984).

“At present, the people of Labuan largely feel disheartened and dissatisfied with the level of development on the island.

Compared to Putrajaya, which covers an area of 8,000 acres or 32 square kilometres, the Federal Government provided significant compensation to the Selangor Government, whereas the Sabah Government received not a single cent.

“And when some Sabahans and Labuan residents openly opposed the move, they were arrested and detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA),” he said.

Madius further stated that during his tenure as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Asian Supply Base Sdn Bhd (ASB), he realised that without ASB, Labuan would have little to show.

“Thanks to ASB and its business activities, more than 5,000 people have gained employment.

ASB is a subsidiary of Sabah Energy Corporation Sdn Bhd (SEC), a wholly government-owned company under the Sabah Government.

“In other words, it is the Sabah Government that has contributed to Labuan’s development.

“The Federal Government’s effort to make Labuan an International Offshore Financial Centre also failed. Nothing undertaken by the Federal Government in Labuan has been commendable; it has caused more issues than progress.

“This awareness prompted me to bring this motion in Parliament, urging the Federal Government to return Labuan to Sabah,” he said.