Sabahans do not need the permission or validation of federal leaders to assert what is rightfully theirs.
KOTA KINABALU : – Datuk Seri Panglima Dr Jeffrey Kitingan has slammed Barisan Nasional chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi for describing the “Sabah for Sabahans” sentiment as a divisive notion.
The Sabah Deputy Chief Minister said the deputy prime minister’s statement “ignores history, distorts the facts, and dismisses the legitimate political will of Sabahans”.
He said Sabahans did not need the permission or validation of federal leaders to assert what is rightfully theirs, adding that Sabah was never meant to be a subordinate state but an equal partner with Sarawak and Malaya in the federation of Malaysia.
“For decades, Sabah has been treated as a resource colony while our voices were suppressed. Putrajaya has systematically dismantled the spirit of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), eroded our constitutional position, and reaped wealth from our soil while ignoring our development needs.
“And now, we are told not to express our own aspirations? To sit quietly while Malayan parties negotiate among themselves over who gets to rule Sabah?
“‘Sabah for Sabahans’ is here to stay. It is not a temporary political slogan. It is a long overdue restoration of truth. If anything is divisive, it is the persistent federal arrogance that refuses to recognise Sabah’s rightful place,” he said in a statement on Monday.
The Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (STAR) president said Sabah’s cooperation with the federal government must be based on mutual respect and equality, and that the Bornean state will not tolerate manipulation and exploitation.
He also appeared to warn of Sabah possibly leaving the federation, saying this would ultimately be up to Sabahans.
“Whether we move forward as a restored partner within the federation or chart an entirely new course will depend on how Sabah is treated in the days to come.
“That decision will be made not in Putrajaya but right here by the people of Sabah,” said the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah deputy chairman.
Earlier today, Zahid criticised the “Sabah for Sabahans” sentiment as divisive and counterproductive, arguing that maintaining close ties with the federal government was key to the state’s prosperity and development.
The Umno president said Sabah is a member of the federation and that “after all, we’re all Malaysians”.
It was not the first time that Zahid had criticised such sentiments. As home minister in 2017, he said slogans like “Sabah for Sabahans” and “Sarawak for Sarawakians” went against the spirit of the Federal Constitution.
The then Umno deputy president had also said that spreading such sentiments to incite East Malaysians was a serious crime as it could lead to anarchy and national instability.
Kitingan had also criticised Zahid then, saying it was not right to threaten people with arrest and imprisonment merely for using the slogans.
