Ini Kali lah! – Don’t Forego this Opportunity to Save Sabah?

By Awang Ahmad Sah

“Sabahans must stand united in the coming elections and vote for an alternative government, irrespective of their political ideologies, if they want to SAVE SABAH from further damage and deterioration.  Ini Kali lah” reached out Awang Ahmad Sah Datuk Awang Sahari, Deputy Chairman of STAR Sabah.

“Imagine if the Malaysia Agreement had been complied with!
Imagine if the 20-Points were implemented!
Imagine if Sabah were in control of its revenue, development funds and tariffs!
Imagine if Sabah collects at least RM15-20 billion each year instead of RM3.6 billion”
Imagine if Sabah did not give up its oil resources OR got more than the current 5% royalties!
Imagine if Sabah were in control of its immigration, borders and security!”

Sabah should be better far off than what it is today! Definitely not not the poorest but comparable to Brunei and Singapore.

For the past 48 years, the older generations were ignorantly blissful on State rights while the younger generations were harbouring under misguided and twisted facts of history on the original intentions of our founding fathers and the Malaysia Agreement on the formation of Malaysia.

However, thanks to the enlightening Borneo Tea Parties conducted by the United Borneo Front (UBF) and the untiring efforts of UBF’s founding Chairman, Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan, and his UBF’s dedicated team of “penyelaras” merry-men,  Sabahans at all levels have awakened from their ignorance and naivety and see through the marginalized and unfair treatment of Sabah and Sarawak through the campaigning for the adoption of the BORNEO AGENDA.

Sabahans, young and old or middle-aged and from all walks of life are fast learning to understand the tBorneo Agenda and the issue of State rights and autonomy.

Not only are Sabahans been flocking to the Borneo Tea Parties and fully supporting the Borneo Agenda, they are now enlightened and are seeking the restoration of Sabah’s rights and autonomy.

In addition, many young intellects have stepped forward to help spread UBF and the Borneo Agenda and to help educate and enlighten the others in their respective localities.

The support and enthusiasm of the people enlightened by UBF is reflected in the successful launching of the State Reform Party (STAR) recently.

“To me the more than 5,000 strong crowd is not the yardstick for the success but the manner of the attendance of the crowd” explained Awang Ahmad Sah.

“Unlike other political parties who provide transport, food, free accommodation and even cash to the attendees, STAR supporters had to get their own transport and buy their own food” added Awang.

At STAR, we are championing for “Justice for Sabah” and State rights and autonomy and the people understand that they are stakeholders of their and their children’s own future.

As a result, instead of spending for the launching, the people were prepared to bear their own costs whether it was RM1 or RM10 or RM100 to lighten the financial constraints and stand together, physically, emotionally and financially, to struggle for a brighter future for Sabah.

STAR’s struggle for Sabah and the future of our future generations has captured the hearts and minds of Sabahans.

The thunderous applause and the vociferous shouts of "KALAU BUKAN KITA SIAPA LAGI, KALAU BUKAN SEKARANG BILA LAGI" and "INI KALI LAH" at the launching of STAR says it all.

History has shown us in the successful ousting of USNO by BERJAYA and the downfall of BERJAYA caused by PBS.

The presence of illegal immigrants with dubious ICs and voting rights, gerry-mandering of constituencies and boundaries delineations have been done by the powers that be at the expense of Sabah and ordinary native Sabahans.  Why must we standby and continue to let this evil scheme continue?

While on paper, the defeat of UMNO/BN may not look easy, it is not impossible.

Unless UMNO in Sabah is stopped and the Government replaced, the colonization way of Sabah by the Federal Government will continue unabated and it may soon be beyond rescue.

Petronas and the Federal Government receives more than RM15 billion from our oil resources annually while we receive a fractional 5%.   Yet, Sabah leaders have to literally beg for that few billion in development funds.  There is nothing to be ashamed of in getting a few billion in development funds as the Federal Government takes more than RM36 billion annually from our taxes and oil resources.

In Indonesia, Acheh Province is autonomous and gets back 70% of its oil revenue.

In the Russian Federation, Muslim Republics manage their own oil resources through their own oil Ministries.  They even sign bilateral agreements with other countries on a country to country basis in dealing with their own resources.   Although Russia is not an Islamic federation, it uphold justice, at least by convention, on their oil resources.

A time will come when our oil resources are depleted, Sabah will be a liability to the Government and may be left to fend for itself.  By then it will be too late.

STAR appeals to all fellow Sabahans to use what we have left, that is unity among us that cuts across religion and race, to stand united and not to waste the opportunity in the forthcoming general elections to support State rights and effect a change of the Government.

INI KALI LAH!

Deprivation and hunger is indiscriminate and not race or religion based.  Neither it is not God caused but human caused.  One simple and shining example, as envisioned by STAR, Sabah would instantly be transformed to be the richest State if oil royalties is increased to 50% and Sabah collects its own taxes as per Point 11 of the 20-Points.

GE-13 is the last chance for us to oust UMNO and BN from Sabah.

“We must not forego this opportunity to stand united to oust the UMNO/BN regime and SAVE SABAH from further destruction” appealed Awang Ahmad Sah.

“INI KALI LAH”

Awang Ahmad Sah Datuk Awang Sahari is Deputy Chairman of STAR Sabah Chapter