Autonomy must be sincere and can't be compromised: Jeffrey

Kota Kinabalu: Sabah State Reform Party (Star) on Tuesday welcomed the statement by Speaker Datuk Seri Salleh Said Keruak that the Federal Government should grant partial autonomy to Sabah and Sarawak.Its Chairman Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan (pic) said Salleh's statement is consistent with the spirit and basis of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 and the 20/18-Points.

"In fact, the statement is long overdue from an Umno leader," he said.

Nevertheless, he stressed that the autonomy cannot be compromised and must be sincerely implemented.

Salleh said recently that the Federal Government should grant partial autonomy to Sabah and Sarawak so as to partly fulfil the people's request and reduce their anger.

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But granting Sabah and Sarawak partial autonomy with an aim to just retain Umno/BN's hold on power in Putrajaya, Dr Jeffrey said, is not a wise move or the right approach.

He said Sabah's autonomy and rights as an equal partner in the Federation of Malaysia, equal to Malaya and Sarawak, are not mere words to please the people in Sabah.

"True Sabahans will not accept it as autonomy was a right of Sabah and Sarawak when they agreed to form the Federation of Malaysia and therefore is not negotiable," he said.

He said the points raised by Salleh on autonomy, the agreement, the 20/18-Points and Sabah and Sarawak being treated as internal colonies of Malaya are but just a few of the issues creating unhappiness and grievances in Sabah and Sarawak.

And these issues are championed by activists and nationalists in the Borneo States.

"The Speaker's statement only serve to confirm and reinforce the activists and nationalists' fight for Sabah's rights and autonomy.

"So, it is high time for the Umno leaders in Putrajaya and the Federal Government to sit up, listen and take cognisance of the issues raised by the Speaker and to invite public and rational discourse to resolve the root issue of the non-compliance of the terms and conditions of the formation of Malaysia," he said.

Dr Jeffrey said Salleh is correct when saying that Sabah and Sarawak as kingmakers can make or break BN or Pakatan Rakyat.

Both states, Salleh said, could also and determine who controls Putrajaya and the Federal Government.

As a first step, the Federal and Sabah governments should re-activate the review of the agreement and the Federal Constitution which has denied Sabah and Sarawak since 1975 when the Federal and Sabah committees last met, he said.

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"The Speaker should not be hypocritical of Sabah's rights and autonomy. He had rejected my motion calling for a review of agreement and the Federal Constitution which I had tabled twice at the Sabah Legislative Assembly last year," he said.

If Salleh is serious with his views for a partial autonomy for Sabah, Dr Jeffrey said he should take the necessary steps to allow the motion calling for a review of the agreement and the basis of Federal-Sabah relations at the next State Legislative Assembly session.

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