Star: Borneo Agenda about Sabah rights Not Anti-Malaya

“Sabah and Sarawak are equal partners with Malaya and not the 12th and 13th States and the Borneo Agenda is about the rights of Sabah and Sarawak and is not anti-Malaya or parochial” said Edward Linggu, STAR Sabah Information Chief, in response to Datuk Seri Panglima Wilfred Bumburing’s statement reported in the local media.

The Malaya Agenda is about the internal control and colonization of Sabah and the siphoning of Sabah’s rich resources, oil and gas and revenue.   The Borneo Agenda advocated by STAR is about the seeking and restoring Sabah’s rights and autonomy and to manage its own rich resources.  Treating Sabah as a colony and “fixed deposit” and taking 95% of Sabah’s oil revenue and 100% of its federal revenue is no longer acceptable.

It is obvious that Bumburing has lost the will and desire to champion for Sabah with his statements and misunderstanding of the real problems and issues facing Sabah today as well as failure to comprehend STAR’s struggle for Sabah.

“I have personally worked with Bumburing in PBS and used to have high regard of himself for his part in fighting for Sabah’s rights but it seems now that it is in the past and forgotten and is now dependent on and subservient to Peninsular leadership” added Edward.

Sabahans need to be reminded that the Federation of Malaysia is not a unitary state but a nation comprising of three nation-states.    Even West Malaysians and Sarawakians entering Sabah need to go through immigration and work permits are required for them to work here.   This is the Sabah that is supposed to be in the Federation as envisaged but as it is now, down-graded to be the 12th State and made worse by illegals given dubious MyKads and over-whelming the locals.

It is the official stand and policy of STAR Sabah to topple the BN federal and state governments and to work with the opposition to achieve this.    This has been conveyed by our Chairman in writing recently to the top leadership in Pakatan including Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Unlike Bumburing who is willing to be subservient, STAR’s position is that STAR will cooperate and work with the national opposition but not under them.   In our official letter, we have also conveyed that while we suggest that PR focus on seats in the Peninsular, we are agreeable to PR components contesting in Sabah to achieve a 1:1 contest to bring down BN.
As a follow-up, PR components have been in direct discussions with STAR on seats distribution in Sabah.  Obviously, Bumburing is not aware as he is not part and parcel of PR but on the fringes.   How will he be able to look after Sabah’s rights and interests when is not officially inside PR?   He will have no say and unable to sway even PKR Sabah as he is an outsider to PR Sabah?

Bumburing need to be realistic and not be looking out for himself.   People are saying he is just a small fish in a big pond but thinks he is a giant and demands to contest all the KDM seats.    Even if he had taken the entire Upko out with him, he is in no position to demand for all the KDM seats.

Even his APS’ so-called “perjuangan” are mere copy-cats of what UBF and STAR has been doing for the last 2-3 years.    APS’ so-called battle-cry “INI KALI LAH!” is a copy of STAR’s and rings hollow compared to STAR’s INI KALI LAH! song which is easily available on youtube and played in the kampungs throughout Sabah.

We would also like to advise Bumburing to look after his own house and there is no need to worry about STAR’s full house of 26 Divisions (including Labuan) and 60 DUNs which APS doesn’t even come close.    Our Papar division is not dissolved and has emerged stronger.  In any event, how can 1 weak leader who has left the Party has the legal authority to dissolve the division?
As for Keningau being an administrative centre, obviously again Bumburing has not updated himself.   There is no doubt that under a STAR-led government, Sabah will be divided into 5 Administrative Regions to be governed by a Governor and a Regional Executive Council each.   This will provide the nerve centre for an effective regional administration and impetus to propel the growth and development of Sabah.   It has been wrongly reported that Keningau was to be the state administrative capital when what was said was that Keningau would be the regional administrative centre for the Interior Division, tentatively known as Trusmadi Region and this erroneous reporting had been rectified.

Wouldn’t Bumburing agree that carving out Sabah into 5 Regions equivalent to the states in the Peninsular would be a workable proposal to have a more effective and people-friendly government which will also expedite the development of Sabah, especially in the outlying areas?

STAR reiterates its stand that it will work with the national opposition to topple the BN governments as well as local opposition including Bumburing himself.   We are prepared to accommodate him for Tuaran and he is unlikely to win without STAR’s support in Tuaran as the local communities there will reject BN and APS in the coming elections.

The time has come for Sabahans to vote out the Umno/BN government in Sabah and replace them with patriotic Sabahans who are prepared to put Sabah’s interests, rights and autonomy first ahead of personal and party interests.

STAR Sabah’s stand and struggle for Sabah is not merely CHANGE but REFORMS for a Better Sabah for all which is the objective of STAR’s “SELAMATKAN SABAH TANAH AIRKU” Campaign.     The future of Sabah lies in the hands of us Sabahans, not outsiders or Sabahans under the control of outsiders.

SELAMATKAN SABAH TANAH AIRKU  -  INI KALI LAH!

By Edward Linggu is Information Chief of STAR Sabah