Sabahan view on Malaysia

KOTA KINABALU: Standing still or doing nothing is not an option after 51 years of Sabah and Sarawak being in Federation with the peninsula.

That’s the thrust of Star Sabah Chief Jeffrey Kitingan’s presentation at a pre-weekend public forum in Kota Kinabalu, “Malaysia at the Crossroads”, on the eve of the 57th and 51st Independence Day celebrations of the peninsula and Sabah respectively. Sarawak obtained its independence on 22 July, 1963.

The Federation as it exists, he warned, has veered away from the original purpose behind the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) i.e. a Goodwill Project, an equal partnership of Sabah, Sarawak and Malaya to facilitate Singapore’s merger with the peninsula.

“The Federation as it exists must be restructured to reflect MA63,” said Jeffrey who did not say whether Singapore must be brought back into the equation. “There must be a new Malaysian Constitution in line with MA63, not the Federal Constitution which is actually the old Malayan Constitution with minor changes.”

The reality on the ground, added Jeffrey, is that Penang, Malacca and Kedah can all be inserted into Keningau, the city in the interior which he calls home. Yet, Keningau is represented by just one seat in Parliament, he fumed.

An equally troubling question, continued Jeffrey, is that the Federation has since degenerated over the years into a de facto unitary state viz. the states have very little power while local governments have no power.

“If we do nothing,” ventured Jeffrey, “we are in fact condoning the continued occupation of Sabah and Sarawak by the peninsula.”

Occupation, no different from colonisation, brings with it all it means in the sense that the resources of the vassal territories are controlled, managed and monopolised by the mother country, he said.

Continued domination of the Borneo nations by the peninsula, said Jeffrey, is politically incorrect and unacceptable. “We must have our own Prime Ministers in Sabah and Sarawak.”

Jeffrey suggests that attempts be made by the parties concerned to review and re-sign MA63 before considering other options like Sabah and Sarawak exiting the Federation.

“The presence of the illegal immigrants has made it harder for Sabah,” conceded Jeffrey if the independence option is to be considered. “We have to consider the politics, defence and military aspects as well. It’s a dilemma.”

-fmt