Kota Kinabalu: Sabah and Sarawak are indeed equal partners according to the original Malaysia Agreement 1963 but the refusal of both states to get involved in formulating national policies had cost them their special status.During the Malaysia at Crossroads forum here on Friday, prominent Malaysian lawyer turned politician Datuk Zaid Ibrahim said there were several times over the years that Sabah and Sarawak should have stood up and state their opinions especially when it concerned the direction of where the federation is going."We are not exactly at a crossroad because if we are, we would know where to go. Right now, we are a confused nation. The Prime Minister for example, has no right to declare Malaysia an Islamic state because it will affect both Sabah and Sarawak. "Sabah and Sarawak should have said something. But what did they do? Nothing. Just kept silent. Even when the Federal Government gave only five per cent of cash payment for your oil resources, you kept silent.
ADVERTISEMENT
"How can you get only five per cent when you own the oil?" he asked.Zaid argued that the Sabah government for example, had not been very assertive in their demands and had become mere subordinate to their 'big brother' in the federal by allowing Malayan parties to dictate the future of Sabah.
Furthermore, he urged Sabah and Sarawak not to allow national agenda to be set by Malaya and to get involved even in things that seemingly do not concern them such as the squabble between PAS and Umno over the implementation of hudud laws in Kelantan.The Bornean states, because they are partners in the federation, he said, must get involved in all issues and not limit themselves to issues affecting the states only.
ADVERTISEMENT
"Your population may be smaller but that is not the point. You should help change the political landscape of this country. Putrajaya cannot determine the economic and social policy alone. It must be done together, otherwise this country will crumble," he said.Zaid added that Umno itself has no framework of its own and kept changing whenever they change their leaders.
ADVERTISEMENT
The Vision 2020 by former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohammad, he claimed, is now dead and buried and the Rukunegara no longer an important part of the people's nationalism.In place of these, said Zaid, are various issues that are setting the agenda of the country such as the question of Islamic state, Sedition Act, extreme groups threatening social harmony in the country and many more."Recently, the Armed Forces Chief Zulkefli Mohd Zin warned that we can't criticise the King because His Majesty is the supreme commander of the armed forces."What's next? After this, we can't criticise the armed forces because it would mean we are criticising the Malays, and we can't criticise the Malays because we would be criticising Islam?"Sabah and Sarawak must stand up against these nonsense because you will be affected by them too," he cautioned.Zaid urged all NGOs and political parties in both states to unite and move in one accord.
Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
Currently, he said, there is no unity of ideas and principles among the various parties in both states."Only if you can speak in one voice will you be taken seriously. Do not allow yourselves to be further divided. There are too many political parties in the states already," he said.