Most youths in Sabah have not exercised right to vote

3rd May, 2011PUTATAN: Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Yahya Hussin yesterday expressed regret that most youths in Sabah in the eligible voting age do not exercise their right to vote as they have yet to register as voters. The State Umno liaison committee secretary said from the feedback gathered from the youths in the party’s strongholds, they still held the belief “that voting is the job of the older generation or their parents”. “They are therefore often not too keen to take part in the democratic process of electing their leaders,” he said during a community programme in Kampung Tengah Padang, Petagas, near here, yesterday. “It is sad that the majority of them seem not to realise the importance of their responsibility to vote,” he added. Yahya who is also Petagas assemblyman, said the youths he meant were those aged 21 to 40, and 70 per cent of the population in Putatan district itself were made up of this group. “Therefore, there should be concerted efforts to attract the eligible young to vote to ensure the continuation of the party and Barisan Nasional’s dominance in Sabah,” he said. According to him, the urban youths were considerably more aware of their role as voters, and the opposition especially DAP, had been successful in recruiting and registering the youths as their members and voters. “That is why they have managed to win many urban seats in Sarawak and Peninsular Malaysia, because of the support from young voters. “The government must not ignore this fact and Umno as the backbone of the BN government, has no choice but to give attention to the relatively dormant young voters in the state,” said Yahya, who is also State Agriculture and Food Industry Minister. The party, he stressed, must further strengthen itself by getting closer to the younger generation to listen to their views, while raising awareness among this group of the significance of their voting power. “This is especially so in areas where UMNO is considered the leading party but the majority of the youths is still not registered as voters. Otherwise, the party’s strong influence may diminish and this will allow the opposition to capitalise on it,” he said.

Musa: Jadikan Pesta Kaamatan medan untuk erat perpaduan rakyat

TIBA … Musa diiringi oleh Hajiji, Jahid dan Bumburing disambut dengan tarian tradisional. 3rd May, 2011TAMPARULI: Ketua Menteri Datuk Seri Musa Haji Aman menyeru rakyat di negeri ini supaya menjadikan sambutan Pesta Kaamatan sebagai medan untuk mengeratkan perpaduan dan memartabatkan budaya. Beliau berkata sambutan itu turut menyumbang kepada kepesatan industri pelancongan negeri menerusi keunikan budaya. “Bagi kita di Sabah, inilah antara kesempatan terbaik untuk kita mengeratkan lagi semangat perpaduan, persaudaraan dan kehar- monian dalam kalangan pemimpin dan rakyat pelbagai kaum dan etnik, menerusi keunikan adat dan budaya tempatan,” katanya. Beliau berkata demikian ketika berucap merasmikan pelancaran sambutan Pesta Kaamatan peringkat negeri, di Dewan Tun Hamdan Tamparuli, Tuaran, di sini, pada Ahad. Turut hadir Timbalan Ketua Menteri Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan dan Menteri Kerajaan Tempatan dan Perumahan negeri Datuk Haji Hajiji Haji Noor. Tema sambutan Pesta Kaamatan tahun ini ialah “Fahaman Terhadap Kebudayaan – Langkah Bijak ke Hadapan” atau “Pirotian Id Koubasanan-Ralan Koburuon”. Musa, berkata tema itu jelas menggambarkan betapa pentingnya rakyat negeri ini saling memahami, menghormati dan menghargai kepelbagaian budaya yang bukan sahaja unik, malah ia menjadi tunjang kekuatan perpaduan, kemakmuran dan kemajuan rakyat Sabah dengan semangat 1Malaysia. Beliau berkata, sambutan itu juga turut menyumbang kepada kepesatan industri pelancongan negeri menerusi keunikan budaya tempatan “Ini sekali gus membuktikan rakyat di negeri ini sentiasa bersatu padu dan boleh merayakan semua perayaan dengan penyertaan seluruh masyarakat berbilang kaum dan agama, dengan semangat muhibah dan penuh harmoni,” katanya. Beliau juga menyeru lebih ramai rakyat berbilang kaum terutamanya generasi muda menyertai dan menjayakan Pesta Kaamatan sepanjang bulan ini. Katanya, ini penting bagi memberikan pendedahan, kefahaman dan kesedaran kepada golongan muda mengenai kepentingan meme- lihara dan memartabatkan budaya tempatan. “Kita bersyukur kerana Sabah terus membangun dengan pesat dalam pelbagai bidang. Kerajaan terus komited memacu pembangunan di seluruh pelosok negeri dengan sokongan padu rakyat yang membolehkan kita menik- mati kestabilan politik, kemakmuran sosial dan ekonomi. “Ini termasuklah dalam sektor pelancongan budaya yang dijana menerusi keunikan dan kepelbagaian budaya masyarakat tempatan,” katanya. Sambutan Pesta Kaamatan yang diadakan setiap tahun antara lainnya bertujuan mempamer kekayaan kebudayaan dan warisan budaya masyarakat Sabah. Acara kemuncak akan diadkan di Hongkod Koisaan Penampang pada 30 dan 31 Mei ini.