KOTA KINABALU : – Datuk Henrynus Amin, President of Parti Kerjasama Anak Negeri, issued a strong rebuttal to the Prime Minister’s recent remarks in Sabah regarding negotiations over state demands, including oil and gas revenue.
The Prime Minister stated his willingness to grant Sabah its desires, akin to Sarawak, but insisted it must be “based on negotiation, not shouting or cursing.”
Henrynus firmly rejected the Prime Minister’s characterization, stating, “Sabah is not shouting or cursing.
We are simply standing up to the bullying tactics employed by federal leaders designed to coerce Sabah into submission on critical issues, particularly regarding oil and gas, and the rightful claim to 40% of federal revenue accrued in Sabah,” he said in a statement Friday.
Henrynus accused Prime Minister Anwar of fundamentally mischaracterizing the nature of Sabah’s legitimate requests.
“The Prime Minister’s remarks unfortunately ignore the real issues at stake,” he asserted.
“Sabah’s stance is not one of emotional outburst, but a principled defense of our state interests.”
He further elaborated on these crucial state interests, which include:
- Sabah demands greater financial autonomy or the right to greater control over Sabah’s own financial resources.
- Sabah demands sovereign control over it’s natural resources, particularly oil and gas which is now fully controlled by PETRONAS.
- Sabah demands full and unconditional implementation of all provisions within Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) without delay.
- Sabah demands the right to control and manage immigration within Sabah’s borders and also demands federal action to resolve outstanding immigration issues especially the huge presence of illegal immigrants in Sabah..
- Sabah demands greater autonomy in shaping Sabah’s educational policies and institutions.
“Our demands are clear, justifiable, and rooted in our constitutional rights and the spirit of MA63,” Henrynus emphasized.
“To frame our resolute advocacy as ‘shouting or cursing’ is to deliberately obscure the substantive grievances that the people of Sabah have with the Federal government.”
Henrynus called upon the people of Sabah to remain firm and united in their demand for state rights.
He also urged the Federal Government to abandon its dismissive approach and instead genuinely respect the views and grievances of Sabah.
“It is imperative that the Federal Government engages in good faith negotiations, acknowledging and addressing Sabah’s long-standing concerns with the respect and seriousness they deserve,” concluded Henrynus.
“Only through genuine dialogue and a commitment to truth and justice can we forge a stronger, more equitable Malaysia for all.”
