“Review, Implement MA63 Not Just Development - Jeffrey”

KOTA KINABALU - “The election is over and the Prime Minister should just cut the crap and stop the rhetorics.  What is needed for Sabah and Sarawak is not just promises of not neglecting in development but a review, perhaps overhaul, and a sincere implementation of the Malaysia Agreement 1963” said Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan, STAR Sabah Chief in reply to PM Najib’s Malaysia Day message that Sabah and Sarawak will not be left behind in development.

To Sabahans and the founding fathers of Sabah, the Malaysia is a nightmare of broken promises and shattered dreams as can be evaluated from the four distinguished “Tan Sri” speakers at the forum “The Formation of Malaysia – The Untold Story” organized recently by the Sabah Society.

PM Najib is missing the point by stressing that the federal government under his leadership would in no way neglect Sabah and Sarawak but instead would ensure balanced development for all states in Malaysia and that continuous efforts to develop the economies of Sabah and Sarawak were a priority of the federal government.

If the federal government is not neglecting Sabah and Sarawak and their economies were a priority, the PM should on 17 September after his return to Putrajaya immediately announce the abolishment of the cabotage policy.   The cabotage policy has crippled the economies of Sabah and Sarawak and causing Sabahans and Sarawakians to look for jobs in Singapore and the Peninsula as well as wreaked havoc in the daily lives of the locals with more expenses goods and services and higher costs of living.

Will the PM put his foot in his mouth and prove that Sabah and Sarawak are priorities and not neglected?

Boasting that his government has allocated RM2 billion since 2010 to implement 70 basic rural infrastructure projects in Sabah and Sarawak of which RM62.3 million spent for SCORE and RM207 million for SDC is meaningless compared to the hundreds of billion taken from Sabah and Sarawak’s oil and gas.

Based on government provided information, Sabah and Sarawak have contributed not less than RM125 billion to Petronas and the federal government from 2010 to 2012.

What is RM2 billion in comparison?

If this RM2 billion is what the PM meant as priorities and not neglect of Sabah, one shudder at the thought what Sabah and Sarawak will get for the next 5 years under his rule unless he is booted out earlier by his own Umno elections.

If PM Najib is sincere in developing the Borneo States, then at least 50% of the revenues collected from Sabah and Sarawak should be returned to the Sabah and Sarawak governments for their development.  In 2013, Petronas and the federal government is likely to receive more than RM60 billion from Sabah and Sarawak’s oil and gas, given that the world market price is hovering around USD107 per barrel for the past month.

As for the formation of Malaysia and as the Prime Minister of Malaysia, Najib should not just parrot this historical fact.   He needs to address the issue of the formation of Malaysia in 1963 and the concerns and grievances and injustices to the Borneo States and do something about it.

Firstly, Najib needs to correct the lies, distortions and manipulations of the facts of history.   Today (16 September) Malaysia is 50 years old, not 56 years as recently celebrated in the Peninsula.   Malaysia was never colonized and never gained independence and there never was any struggle for independence for Malaysia by Malayan leaders, their struggle was for the independence of Malaya.  Malaysia was formed as a new federation by Malaya, Sabah and Sarawak (with Singapore) in 1963 as independent nations and as equal partners.

Secondly, the Federal Constitution needs to be amended to reflect the independence, autonomy and equal status of Sabah and Sarawak.  The Borneo States are not supposed to be the 12th and 13th States.

Thirdly, there should be a government of Malaya which is in reality masquerading as the federal government of Malaysia when it is not supposed to be so.   The governments of Malaya, Sabah and Sarawak should then form a national federal government of Malaysia.

But foremost and most importantly, to address the injustices and grievances of the Borneo States for the past 50 years, Najib should look and address the problem head-on.   This would necessary entail a review and implementation of the Malaysia Agreement and the 20-Points (for Sabah) and 18-Points (for Sarawak) and restore the rights, privileges and autonomy of the Borneo States and de-occupy them and to bring Umno back to Malaya.

If the PM is sincere and serious, by the 17 September he should re-activate the IGC to ensure and monitor the compliance of the Malaysia Agreement and form an independent Malaysia Review Committee.  These steps are necessary to chart the future of Malaysia for the next 50 years.  Najib is in the best position to save Malaysia as the current PM.

Only time will tell whether Najib means what he says about the priorities for Sabah and Sarawak and that Malaysia is 50 years old or that he will pass the same way as the past Prime Ministers and continue to colonize Sabah as the 12th State of Malaya.