Referendum dangerous: Bumburing
Published on: Tuesday, September 23, 2014
KOTA KINABALU: Opposition Sabah Reform Movement (APS) President Datuk Seri Wilfred Bumburing said Monday that a referendum is the last thing that Sabah needs now considering the huge number of foreigners having Malaysian ICs who may legally be allowed to participate in such a referendum."Such referendum, if ever it should take place, will be very dangerous for Sabah and Malaysia. "The loyalty of these foreigners that are holding Malaysian ICs are highly questionable and they may outnumber bona fide and loyal Malaysians in Sabah," he warned. He said with the confirmation by Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin that Islamic State (IS) elements exist in a neighbouring country, Sabah's only option is to stay put in Malaysia.
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"But please treat us equally," he told the Federal Government. He also said the removal of important words 'Kerajaan Malaysia Janji (Malaysian Government Guarantees) inscribed on the Oath Stone in Keningau is tantamount to treason.He said this is because the Oath Stone and inscription on it is the only constitutionally accepted form of documentation pertaining to the formation of Malaysia aside from the Malaysia Agreement 1963 and all the other documents that are annexed to the agreement. It was reported earlier that the words were missing from the new plaque on the Oath Stone. "We also want to know who removed the Oath Stone from its original location and why the particular words have been removed or erased.
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"Those responsible for the missing words should be brought to court and charged under the relevant laws," he said, adding it is important that the Oath Stone is returned it to its original location. The Oath Stone, he said, belongs to the people particularly in the Interior and to the people of Sabah in general. He said all Malaysian citizens should be allowed to visit it at any time irrespective who they are. "It does not belong to the Government and therefore they have no right to bar anyone from visiting it," he said.In this context, he said the issue of Sabah seceding from Malaysia, which is hotly discussed and debated in social media websites, is something Kuala Lumpur should view positively as they are expressions of unhappiness among Malaysians in Sabah and Sarawak about how the Federal Government "had short-changed Sabah in many ways as far as the Malaysia Agreement and its spirit is concerned".
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He agrees with the statement by Sarawak Minister-cum-President of Parti Rakyat Sarawak Tan Sri James Masing that the Federal Government should look into the reasons why such issue is circulating instead of trying to nab those who talk and discuss it. "Perhaps, the very removal of a very important element in the Oath Stone was one of the issues that caused Sabahans to think differently about their position in Malaysia and subsequently led to the secession sentiments," he said.Hence, he said, Federal Ministers including the Prime Minister, should stop issuing negative statements by threatening Sabahans and Sarawakians with arrests and charging them with alleged secession. Bumburing said the Federal Government might end up being confronted with a lot of issues relating to the Malaysian Constitution, which was actually the Malayan Constitution enacted in 1957, six years before Malaysia was formed and renamed Malaysian Constitution in 1963. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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