Jeffrey wants to put deprived Borneo on world stage

By Luke Rintod of FMT

KOTA KINABALU: Former PKR vice-president Jeffrey Kitingan, disturbed by the “plight” of the people in Borneo, is hoping to push the community's state of deprivation onto the world stage through his United Borneo Front (UBF).

The maverick politician said Borneans have compromised too much and have been taken advantage of because the island is richly-endowed with mineral resources.

Jeffrey is disturbed that despite nearly 50 years since the state agreed to form Malaysia, its inhabitants remain very poor and "in some cases are comparable to those in Africa".

"We have been compromised in our political position and are too subservient in addressing the Borneo issues with one common voice that is strong, credible and sincere.

"It is time we aligned ourselves with any party or group which can assist us in fulfilling the objectives of UBF's struggles.

"UBF will be making courtesy calls on leaders of various political parties and non-political organisations nationwide and abroad to discuss the Borneo agenda and the need to close the economic and digital divide between the Peninsula and Sabah and Sarawak," he said.

Jeffrey has restricted himself to the Malaysian territories of Sabah and Sarawak. But he is under pressure to also highlight issues afflicting the Dayaks and Banjareese in neighbouring Kalimantan, which, together with Sabah, Sarawak and Brunei, make up the roughly 18 million population of Borneo.

When he unveiled UBF last week, which has now been dubbed the “Borneo Tea Party”, he said that the people of Sabah and Sarawak would not compromise in their demand for the return of their autonomy as stipulated in the Malaysia Agreement 1963.

The 63-year-old chose to launch UBF on Dec 16 as it was the anniversary of the 1773 Boston Tea Party in the United States. The Boston Tea Party played a crucial role in the start of the American Revolution.

UBF's main demands are:

• Establish a compliance mechanism to the Malaysia Agreement 1963, especially Article VIII (8);
• Ensure fairer revenue-sharing formula and representation at the federal level;
• Restore Sabah and Sarawak status as equal partners in the federation;
• Protect native rights as enshrined in Article 153 of the Federal Constitution;
• Abolish unfair trade policies;
• Narrow the economic and digital divide; and
• Resolve the immigrant problem in Sabah.

Jeffrey, however, is not optimistic that change will come quickly but said his UBF was a start.

"Many people today, when talking about change, assume it to be a change of government. Change of government does not automatically lead to the desired changes.

"We in UBF must lead and educate our people to bring about the change we want.

"In 1963, we changed from colonialism to an independent state. Many of our forefathers were looking forward to change, but look where we ended up 47 years later because we did not do anything about it.

"If it is not us (who start the struggle for change), who else will? If it is not now, then when?" Jeffrey asked
.