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Pairin’s magic touch


From left: Musa Aman, Najib Razak and Joseph Pairin KitinganFrom left: Musa Aman, Najib Razak and Joseph Pairin Kitingan.
When the Huguan Siou speaks, the prime minister listens
Joseph Pairin Kitingan (left) and Najib RazakJoseph Pairin Kitingan (left) and Najib Razak
It could be his magic touch or charisma. But by his quiet and gentle persuasion, Joseph Pairin Kitingan gets things done for Sabah’s indigenous Kadazandusuns and Muruts who make up about a fifth of the 3.2m people who include Malays, ethnic Chinese and Indians. Most importantly, he has the ear of Najib Razak, the prime minister.
Najib Razak during his walkabout at Bingkor, KeningauNajib Razak during his walkabout at Bingkor, Keningau
He doesn’t throw tantrums in public or hold the ruling 13-party Barisan Nasional coalition, of which his Parti Bersatu Sabah (unity party) is a member, to ransom. Yet when others in the coalition fail, Pairin, as he is affectionately called by his middle name, succeeds.

The undisputed Huguan Siou, paramount leader of the Kadazandusuns and Muruts, has got the prime minister to set up a royal commission of inquiry into illegal immigrants in Sabah and the first college of higher learning for Kadazandusuns and Muruts, build a water treatment plant and lay 52km (32.5 miles) of pipes to bring potable water to slightly more than 200,000 mostly natives in the Sabah interior.
The 30m-ringgit Sabah Handicraft Centre in KeningauThe 30m-ringgit Sabah Handicraft Centre in Keningau
“Every time we met … he (Pairin) would always raise the water supply problem of the people in the interior,” said Najib during a visit to Keningau to celebrate the Kaamatan harvest festival with the Kadazandusuns and Muruts on June 16. “So I said, ‘just wait till I come to Keningau.’ I haven’t come here empty handed.”

The federal government is giving Sabah a 235m ringgit ($73.5m) loan for the water project. Najib said his government would fund the KDM college. How much that would be will depend on a discussion between him and Pairin.
Solumi Mijan, an artisan, learns the art of her people.Solumi Mijan, an artisan, learns the art of her people.
Pairin has been the lawmaker of Keningau, a parliamentary constituency five times the size of Singapore, since 1986. It includes his state seat of Tambunan which he has held for 36 years after winning it in 1976.

At 71 the Grand Old Man of Sabah politics has certainly mellowed with age but he has not lost his effectiveness. And he has drawn much wisdom from his experience in leading a state in hostile opposition to Kuala Lumpur and then working in consonance with the centre as government leader.
His patience and tact have paid off. Events of the past week have put Keningau in sharp focus not just because of the prime minister’s visit. They have announced the massive transformation of Keningau into an economic, educational and cultural hub.
Sompoton, the bamboo harmonica of the Kadazandusuns.Sompoton, the bamboo harmonica of the Kadazandusuns.
Forestry and vast acreage of oil palms have supported Keningau. But Najib launched Malaysia’s biggest integrated livestock centre in Sook, a small distance from Keningau town, that will draw investments of 763m ringgit. It can produce 6m litres of milk a year. There will be 2,000 cows with 1,600 of them producing milk while the rest will be slaughtered for beef. The centre is expected to produce 2m litres of milk from 500 cows next year. Najib opened a 30m-ringgit handicraft centre of which 20m ringgit has come from the federal government. It is a one-stop centre that trains artisans, produces and sells handicraft.
Keningau town.Keningau town.
So the KDM college fits snugly into Keningau’s economic transformation. Agriculture and agro-industries need lots of skilled workers. It would be fitting for the college to produce agriculturalists, agronomists, veterinarians, carpenters, building technicians and artisans to fill thousands of jobs in Keningau.

“This college is a dream of the KDM community to have a higher learning institution in the interior of Sabah,” said Pairin as Najib launched the college at Kaingaran in Tambuan, about 43km from Keningau.

“Every year, thousands of school leavers from Keningau, Tambunan, Nabawan and Ranau have to further their studies in Kota Kinabalu or the peninsula. The fact is that not many of them can afford to do so.”
 
It will be built on 20 hectares of a hillock that forms part of 240 hectares of state land. Officials said 200 hectares of it would be planted with oil palms that should in time earn enough money for the college. – Insight Sabah
- Reporting by Rebecca Chong
- Pictures by Oliver Majaham

38 comments:

  1. Old Najib..? Najib has aged that fast ?

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    Replies
    1. Najib is also not that young anymore, but no where as old as Taib Mahmud.

      sabah-go-green.blogspot.com

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  2. pairin adalah hugunan siou, dia byk main peranan dalam membantu rakyat.

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    Replies
    1. sudah 31 tahun Pairin menjadi Huguan Siou.rasanya masih layakkah pegang gelaran tu?

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    2. age is not the matter but whether he is still capable in doing his job well to fulfil his responsibilities to the people as a huguan siou.

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    3. The people still think of him as their huguan siou, hope that he will continue to serve his supporters as they expect of him.

      sabah-go-green.blogspot.com

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    4. Rasa-rasa Pairin mendapat sokongan positif dari golongan awam.

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    5. pairin masih lagi relevan..

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  3. moga pairin dpt terus majukan keningau.

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    Replies
    1. Beliau perlu lebih aktif dalam menjalankan tanggungjawabnya sebagai Huguan Siou, Ahli Parlimen Keningau dan wakil rakyat Tambunan.

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    2. Because of Pairin, Keningau is becoming more and more developed. Good job pairin.

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    3. Pasti satu saingan hangat antara Pairin & Jeffrey.

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    4. pairin akan menang..

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  4. Good that the Prime Minister pays attention to Pairin Kitingan when he speaks, he is no doubt our Huguan Siou. Hope that he can spread positive influence to the Prime Minister.

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    Replies
    1. Mungkin meminta lebih banyak projek pembangunan untuk kaum KDM juga rakyat Sabah keseluruhannya.

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    2. Hope that he will help the locals gain more development and attention from the PM.

      sabah-go-green.blogspot.com

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  5. Many of the local folks still put their trust and support on Datuk Pairin, hope that he will continue to uphold his Huguan Siou title.

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    Replies
    1. Semoga Pairin terus menyumbangkan sesuatu kepada masyarakat KDM.

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  6. Nampaknya Pairin masih besar pengaruhnya walaupun terdapat suara2 yang tidak menyokong beliau.

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    Replies
    1. Don't underestimate Pairin's influence. He may look like a leader that is not fighting for the people but the fact is , he doesn't need publicity to let people know what he did for them.

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    2. pengaruh pairin masih kuat...

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  7. Pairin has done many things to make sure that the people in sabah got the things that they want.

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    Replies
    1. thanks to him we will get our KDM college..

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  8. There are difference between leader who talks a lot but no action and leader who seems to be silent but shows results.

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  9. Will Pairin vs Jeffrey for MP Keningau? Can't wait to know!

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    Replies
    1. pairin will win...

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    2. saya rasa pairin akan dapat mengatasi JK di keningau.

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  10. Pairin will voice for the people.

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  11. With Pairin, I think KDM can gain more benefit and welfare.

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  12. It will be built on 20 hectares of a hillock that forms part of 240 hectares of state land. Officials said 200 hectares of it would be planted with oil palms that should in time earn enough money for the college

    Moga-moga perancangan ini dijalan lancar dan berjaya menjana pendapatan yang lumayan.

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  13. Teruskan usaha bagi membantu penduduk di Sabah ini.

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    Replies
    1. ya, usaha harus diteruskan untuk membantu rakyat.

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  14. Datuk Pairin mampu mengubah kehidupan penduduk KDM. Itu adalah kenyataan. Pairin cuba memberikan pelbagai program yang dapat meningkatkan pendapatan penduduk.

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  15. pairin merupakan antara pemimpin yang paling berpengaruh dan dihormati.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. kalau Najib tidak ikut apa yang dia cakap, bersar impaknya kepada BN Sabah jika Pairin bawa keluar PBS dari BN..

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  16. banyak lagi perlu dibuat..usaha harus terus dibuat untuk majukan rakyat.

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  17. teruskan fokus dan sentiasa berusaha berikan yang terbaik untuk rakyat.

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  18. tengok la macam si Pairin.. tidak perlu lantang bersuara di media pun boleh menyumbang kepada rakyat..

    ReplyDelete

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