BHF Launches UBF Academy to Empower People

Kota Kinabalu:     “It is a timely opportunity to establish the UBF Academy to institutionalize its political, economy consciousness and educational programs that will enlighten and empower the people with the correct history and rights of Sabah and Sarawak in the formation of Malaysia in view of the growing support and calls for Sabah and Sarawak to be restored as equal partners to Malaya in the Federation of Malaya and the restoration of rights and constitutional safeguards that were promised to the Borneo States” said Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan, Chairman of the Borneo Heritage Foundation (BHF) and founding mentor of the United Borneo Front (UBF) at the launch of “Akademi UBF” in Kota Kinabalu on Thursday.

The UBF Academy will be an independent unit established under the auspices of BHF.  Apart from its on-going programs to empower the people and instil patriotism and nationalism, the Academy will also be conducting leadership training on a modular basis to mould and build future leaders and enhance leadership skills.

It will also setup a Resource Centre and undertake research and publications.   The Resource Centre will house materials, documents, books and publications important to the Academy and serve as an information centre for reference.

It is envisaged that the Academy and the Resource Centre will ensure correctness, truthfulness and consistency in the understanding of Sabah and Sarawak’s aspirations at the time of forming the Federation of Malaysia and until current times.   These aspirations contained in various constitutional and related documents such as the following:-

(a)   the 20/18-Points Memorandum;

(b)   the Batu Sumpah;

(c)   the Memorandum from Sabah, Sarawak and Brunei to the United Nations dated 9/9/1962;

(d)   the statements of concerns by local leaders such Donald Stephens (later known as Tun Fuad Stephens) as well as Tunku Abdul Rahman and British leaders during the formation of Malaysia.

It will also serve as a reference point to correct and rectify the mis-information and distortion in the history of Malaysia and the formation of Malaysia that are disseminated by various bodies including the federal government to deny the rights and rightful place of Sabah and Sarawak as equal partners in the Federation of Malaysia and those with sinister intentions to make Sabah and Sarawak as the 12th and 13th States of Malaya masquerading as the Federation of Malaysia.

but the agenda of Britain and Malaya to.    Basically, the decision to create the Federation of Malaysia was made jointly by the British and Malaya.   It was not the intention of the Borneo States and North Borneo/Sarawak merely accepted that decision in principle and on condition that their interest and rights are protected constitutionally as set out in paragraphs 6 and 7 of the IGC Report.

“It need to be pointed out and stressed here that the Cobbold Commission was created by the Britain and Malaya to suit their own agenda and Sabah/Sarawak were not directly involved” emphasized Dr. Jeffrey.

The resultant Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) was probably drafted and prepared by Malaya (probably in London) and there is no record of it being discussed with the Borneo leaders before the signing on 9th July 1963.  

Despite no consensus by the Borneo States to join Malaya, it is sinisterly inserted in MA63 that the colonies of Sabah/North Borneo and Sarawak be federated with the existing States while for public consumption, the Proclamation of Malaysia declared that Sabah and Sarawak was federating with the Federation of Malaya.

Whoever inserted the words federated “with the existing States of ….” in MA63 overstepped the boundaries.   The “Malaysia” today is not what Sabah/Sarawak wanted or agreed.

The founding fathers and leaders of Sabah and Sarawak were wiser and had the foresight to establish the 20/18-Points as the basis and safeguards for Sabah and Sarawak to merge with the Federation of Malaya and Singapore.

The 20/18-points, therefore, represent the aspirations of the people in Sabah and Sarawak and are fundamental to the formation of Malaysia – without these conditions/ safeguards there is no basis for Sabah/Sarawak to be in Malaysia as it was already incumbent upon the British/U.K. to grant independence to North Borneo whether standing by itself or with Sarawak.  

This was stance for independence on its own was established by the North Borneo Legislative Council which passed a unanimous resolution to announce/declare North Borneo’s independence on 31st August 1963 whether or not Malaysia became a reality.   This resolution meant that Sabah’s (north borneo) independence was independent of Malaysia and it was not subject to the formation of Malaysia.

It further means that, if not for Malaysia on 16 September 1963, North Borneo would be free and independent today.

“Instead, Sabah has become a “colony” of Malaya through MA63 as sinisterly altered and the manipulation and application of the Malayan federal constitution to be the constitution of Malaysia and the masquerading of Malaya to become “Malaysia”” added Dr. Jeffrey.

It is therefore not surprising that Sabahans and Sarawakians today feel cheated.   Waking up to this reality after 50 years of Malaysia is not easy as Sabah have been losing all the way:-

-   politically

-   economically

-   socio-culturally.

•     our tights have been ignored.

•     our oil resources taken over

•     our main tax revenues  flowing out

•     our job opportunities and role in the federation monopolized by malaya

•     our political franchise sold to foreigners/pti

•     our natives marginalized

•     our politics controlled by malaya

•     sabah has become dependent on kuala lumpur/putrajaya

•     our cries for justice threatened with arrests

•     sabahans have become the poorest in the nation

Aided by the reluctance of the federal government and the government of Malaya to listen to their grievances, it is also not surprising that a slight majority, as surveyed by a political analyst, wants Sabah and Sarawak to opt out of Malaysia.

The movement to leave Malaysia was fore-warned by the last British Governor of North Borneo who stated that ”... Tunku must avoid taking over the Borneo territories as colonies ……..  Any impression of being transferred as colonies will move a “Merdeka” (independence) movement against Kuala Lumpur, potentially irresistible…..”

The Academy will study and empower the people in Malaysia on the truth and the rights of Sabah and Sarawak.   As a matter of fact, we already have experienced and knowledgeable persons interested in joining the Academy as academic staff and share their knowledge with others.

With this empowerment and knowledge, Dr. Jeffrey stressed that for the better good and future of Sabah and Malaysia:-

(a) we must make it a duty to unite through a common cause, a common vision, a common identity as “Sabahans”;

(b)   leaders and political parties must unite and work together;

(c)   sacrifice for Sabah by contributing something, services, materials, funds, ideas, time, egos, positions, etc.”

“Together, we can restore the rights of Sabah and make Sabah an autonomous, safe and progressive nations within Malaysia” concluded Dr. Jeffrey.