Fulfill Malaysia Agreement or Go Separate Ways - Dr. Jeffrey

Kota Kinabalu: “Now that the installation of Pehin Sri Taib as the 7th Governor of Sarawak has taken place, the leaders of Sabah and Sarawak need to focus and speak with one voice that the Malaysia Agreement needs to be implemented and fulfilled” said Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan, STAR Sabah Chief, commenting on Malaysia’s top judge, Chief Justice Tun Arifin Zakaria that Sabah and Sarawak formed Malaysia and that they are key partners in the Federation of Malaysia.

And equally important, Tun Arifin had clearly stated the correct history that Malaya gained independence on 31 August 1957 and that Malaysia was only formed in 1963 with special safeguards for Sabah and Sarawak in their constitutional arrangement.

Not only has the terms and conditions of the formation of Malaysia as contained in the Malaysia Agreement 1963 and the various documents and verbal assurances and promises not been complied with, there were numerous constitutional amendments which eroded the special rights and position of Sabah and Sarawak.   They were highlighted in the book 'The Constitutional Rights of Sabah and Sarawak' that was launched by the Chief Justice recently.

The common stand and voice of the Borneo States should be in no uncertain terms.  The Malaysia Agreement must be fulfilled or all the 3 nation-states must be allowed to go separate ways as it is the wish and desire of a slight majority of Sabahans and Sarawakians.

Any other stand will give the Malayan federal leaders the wrong assumption and presumption that Sabah and Sarawak are not serious in their demands for the terms of the formation of Malaysia to be complied with.   They will continue to remain comfortable in their high offices in Putrajaya and do not care for Sabahans and Sarawakians until it is time for elections.

For instance, PM Najib had promised the BN partners in Sarawak that there would be a Cabinet re-shuffle after the Umno general assembly in early December 2013 to accommodate MPs from Sarawak whose parties were dissatisfied with the distribution of ministerial posts after the May general elections.    

Despite Sabah and Sarawak holding kingmaker positions, Najib has failed to undertake the Cabinet re-shuffle since then.

Perhaps the Sarawak BN parties with the support of TYT Taib in the background should just leave BN and see what happens next since the PM has seen no urgency to consider the interests of the BN parties there.

If so, it won’t be surprising that the PM, DPM and top guns in Umno including ex-PMs making a beeline for Kuching to persuade the Sarawak BN components and the Governor from ditching BN.

The continuation of the down-grading of Sabah and Sarawak as the 12th and 13th States in Malaysia contrary to what was intended in 1963 as equal partners can no longer be accepted.   The continuation of the rape and pillage of Sabah and Sarawak’s oil wealth and revenues and marginalization in development allocations can no longer be condoned.

Even in times of need, the people of Sabah and Sarawak are treated shabbily and not equals to other Malaysians in the Peninsula as can be seen in the recent federal flood aid.   In the Peninsula, aid in cash and in kind was poured from various ministries and other quarters while in Sabah and Sarawak they received virtually nothing from the federal government.

After 50 years of marginalization and victimization, the Malaysia Agreement and all its promises and assurances need to be implemented and fulfilled.    There was to be a review after 10 years, yet 40 years later, nothing appears to be on the horizon.   Even a motion to discuss the matter in Parliament was rejected as not urgent.   

If after 50 years, it is not urgent, do not expect Sabahans and Sarawakians to wait another 50 years for it to be urgent.  

The rumblings of discontentment amongst the people in Sabah and Sarawak are at its highest point with a slight majority wanting Sabah and Sarawak to opt out of Malaysia.   Their sentiments are further fanned and fuelled by Malay ultras and religious bigots who keep insisting that Malaysia is land of the Malays and that the other Malaysians are to be chased out.  

Yet, the PM and the federal government has taken no action to stop such seditious and treasonous acts or to correct the Malayan misconception that Malaya is Malaysia when it is clear as daylight that without Sabah and Sarawak, the key partners, there is no Malaysia.

If Najib is serious with his national reconciliation plan, it must include the review and implementation of the terms and conditions of the formation of Malaysia.    Otherwise, like Singapore in 1965, there should be an amicable parting of separate ways for the Borneo States.