Choice between Independence or continued subjugation

KOTA KINABALU - With this general election, Sabah is now at a crossroads of two choices – to stand up for Sabah and reclaim its Independence Rights as an equal partner in Malaysia and prosper, or to continue to be subjugated under the control of Malayan parties as the 12th State.

Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan, President of Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku says the second choice means continued suffering of the people as Malaysia’s poorest State.

The outgoing Bingkor State Assemblyman was speaking at the launching of STAR’s "Ceramah Perdana" Roadshow in Tambunan over the weekend where he is contesting against his older brother, Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan and his brother-in-law. His previous constituency will be contested by his sidekick and current Bingkor STAR Chief, Robert Tawik. The Ceramah Perdana will be held throughout various parts of Sabah as part of the Gabungan Sabah campaign.

“With Sabah Rights being promoted by almost all parties contesting in Sabah, there is no better time for Sabahans to decide their own future and destiny in Malaysia,” Dr. Jeffrey said.

“Even Umno and BN are now promising to fulfill Sabah rights under MA63 ‘by consensus’ as if to ridicule Sabahans. After 55 years of denying our rights, they are now talking sweet to make fools of Sabahans.

“At the ballot box, Sabahans will be faced with three main choices. Firstly, there are  the incumbents Umno-led BN and their stooges and, secondly, the other Malayan alternative, Pakatan Harapan comprising PKR, DAP, Amanah and their local agent, Warisan, which act under the scheme and dictation of Tun Mahathir.

And thirdly, the local Sabah parties fighting for our freedom, Gabungan Sabah comprising STAR, Harapan Rakyat, SAPP and PPRS.

The obvious choice for Sabahans is to reject Umno-BN and their cahoots in Sabah, who are lame, subservient and unable to stand up to their political masters in Kuala Lumpur. They even refused to implement the constitutionally provided 40% net revenue entitled from all revenues derived from Sabah which have been denied to Sabah,” Dr. Jeffrey added. “Worse still, they siphoned off and misappropriated what belonged to us to develop Malaya.

“Before the emergence of Dr. Mahathir and Warisan, PKR and DAP were thumping their chests and bravely fighting to restore Sabah Rights. But when Dr. Mahathir and his appointed proxy, Warisan, came long, PKR and DAP became subservient and voiceless. They have now meekly surrendered and dare not even raise the issue of Project IC and illegal immigrants! Their local chiefs became KL’s bell-boys. It will not be surprising that they will be pale shadows of Malaya after PRU-14.

“Tun Mahathir and his Warisan proxy as well as Pakatan Harapan still carry Malaya’s Agenda to control Sabah and exploit its rich resources and oil revenues,” he stressed. “There is no other explanation for them to only offer 20% oil revenues, which is valued at RM25 to RM30 billion annually, and only 50% of revenues collected in Sabah, which is much lower than the constitutional 40% net revenues derived from Sabah. Even the 50%, there appears to be a cap of only RM5 billion and the rest kept by them.

“What they don’t tell Sabahans is that they are taking 80% of Sabah’s oil revenues and offering the lower 50% revenues collected in Sabah instead of the 40% net revenues derived from Sabah which is more yhan Rm20 billion annually. Would the Pakatan States of Penang and Selangor agree if they give 80% of their oil revenues to Sabah and only take 20% to develop their own States?” asked Dr. Jeffrey. “Or perhaps they will only take 5% and give 95% to Sabah since their States are well-developed and to help develop Sabah?

“If Sabahans choose to elect BN and the PH-Warisan pact, it is as good as choosing Sabah to continue being controlled and be exploited by them and to remain as the country’s poorest.

“Now, Sabahans have an alternative choice in Gabungan Sabah which is  fully and truly committed to re-claim and restore Sabah Rights, particularly as an equal partner, in order to regain its oil and gas ownership rights and implement the revenue rights that Sabah is constitutionally entitled.

“Imagine, with these Rights restored, Sabahans will have the golden opportunity to carry out its own development plans and to chart its own future and destiny, much like Singapore and Brunei, without being under the manipulation of Malayan parties,” he said.

“For me, my choice since the 1980s has always been for the restoration of Sabah rights so that Sabah can prosper and be better developed than Malaya. With Gabungan Sabah leading the Sabah government, Sabah can then take its rightful place as a regional and international trading hub and a progressive, prosperous, independent and a world-class nation within Malaysia.”