SANDAKAN: Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Raymond Tan Shu Kiah said he would do his best to ensure that representatives from non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and not political parties were appointed to sit on the Sandakan Municipal Council.

“Everytime I make a recommendation for representatives from NGOs in Sandakan to be appointed, these places are quickly taken up by political parties in Sandakan,” he said at the installation dinner of the Rotary Club of Sandakan last Friday.

Tan, who is also Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) deputy president and Tanjung Papat assemblyman, said he was disappointed when told by the state Ministry of Local Government and Housing that only five NGO nominees would be considered and that assemblymen from other BN parties in Sandakan had taken up the other posts.

The Sandakan Municipal Council has 25 posts of councillor.

Tan said such positions were not rewards for political parties but were for people, including from NGOs, who wanted to serve the people of Sandakan.

“This time, Elopura assemblyman Au Kam Wah and I have decided that SAPP in Sandakan will not nominate anyone from the party but instead we will support seven NGOs in Sandakan to choose their representatives (as councillors),” he said.

“I will continue to fight for the best interests of the people of Sandakan.

“When it comes to appointing councillors, Au and I will support representatives from NGOs.

“Let’s see what happens,” he added.

On another matter, Tan, who is also state Infrastructure Development Minister, said he would not support any move by Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd

(SESB) to raise the electricity tariff.

“If the cost of electricity goes up, so will the cost of supplying water. The state government spent RM10 million last year on power supply to pump water to consumers throughout the state and, this year, it will cost more.

— Bernama