KOTA KINABALU: Sabah state legislators were today informed of the plight of a Sabahan currently stranded in Africa following the Covid-19 pandemic.
Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan (Tambunan-Star) raised the matter during the state assembly sitting, noting he had received calls from the individual.
"He is currently stranded in Gabon, Africa. I have advised him to contact our (Malaysian) embassy there.
"He tried to contact the embassy, but said the calls went unanswered. So, he has appealed to us for assistance.
"His name is Julius Taidin. I will provide his details and let’s see how we can assist. Pity him," he said.
Kitingan noted this after debating the speech by the Yang di-Pertua Negeri Tun Juhar Mahiruddin when opening the state assembly sitting last week.
Earlier, the Tambunan assemblyman stressed on the need for all quarters regardless of their political differences to work together in containing the spread of Covid-19.
"I've notice that elected representatives are not included in the briefing on the control of Covid-19. I'd like to know if this is an order … there should be an explanation.
"We need work together because we need to share information (especially on the distribution of assistance) to ensure no one is left behind. We don't want duplication at this moment, we want cooperation," he said.
Thanking the federal and state governments for assisting the rakyat, Kitingan said many more have yet to receive aid and the government needs to find ways to reach the affected group.
He said there were those who contacted operation rooms that handle details with regards to assistance, but calls went unanswered.
"We need to improve on this...At this moment, I think the state government should consider providing RM100,000 one-off assistance to each elected representative to assist the people.
"This is my suggestion to ensure no rakyat is left behind," he said.
On a different matter, Kitingan supported the state government's move to implement a five per cent sales tax to companies involved in the production of oil and gas in the state.
He asked the state government to provide a clear explanation on tax collection expectations, the companies involved, and whether by-laws will be established to regulate tax collection as required by the Sales Tax Ordinance 1998.